Arkansas State University first opened its doors as an agricultural college in 1909. Now, 116 years later, the state’s second-largest university graduates more than 4, 000 students annually, and in the 2023-24 fiscal year, had a $2. 5 billion economic impact on the state of Arkansas. A recent economic impact study by Parker Strategy Group shows $480 million is generated annually through the university campus and student and visitor spending. And several impactful, ongoing on-campus projects promise to further drive Jonesboro forward and make Arkansas a better place to live, work and play. Ground was broken earlier this year on the state’s first public College of Veterinary Medicine, and work is currently underway and on-track for a spring 2026 completion. An initial cohort of 120 students will be welcomed when the college officially opens next year. This will be A-State’s ninth college, and a unique offering among all the state’s public universities. A-State is also host to the first osteopathic medical school in the state. The New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine, on campus since 2016, is working to expand health care access to underserved communities in the Delta and throughout Arkansas. The college’s recently announced Freshman to Physician Pathway represents a new partnership between A-State and NYIT. Students residing in Arkansas who score at least a 1100 on their SAT or 26 on their ACT and are in the top 10% of their class can participate in the pathway, which allows students to secure early admission into medical school. Since 2016, 650 new doctors have graduated from NYIT at A-State. A new, multimillion-dollar Center of Advanced Materials and Steel Manufacturing is also underway. Equipped with cutting-edge technology, the research facility is meant to provide a space to improve steel technology in close proximity to the major steel manufacturers of Northeast Arkansas and help the state become a leader in advanced materials research. As a Carnegie Research 2: High Spending and Doctorate Production Institution, A-State averages nearly $8 million in research expenditures annually. The Windgate Hall of Art and Innovation, funded with a $25 million gift from the Windgate Foundation, is a 38, 000 SF facility that, when it opens next year, will become A-State’s new home for its Department of Art & Design and the College of Engineering and Computer Science. The Windgate Foundation is the largest single benefactor of A-State, with endowments totaling more than $40 million. Also underway at A-State is a new workforce development initiative. The CREST (Career Readiness Education and Skills Training) Center is designed to equip future and current workers with the tools they need to excel in an ever-changing job market. Construction on the facility will start next spring. CREST is a partnership with ASU-Newport and Arkansas Northeastern College at Blytheville. There will be opportunities in steel technology, industrial controls, engineering technology and food science when the facility opens. The Red Wolves athletics program supports 16 varsity sports teams, including football, basketball, cross country, indoor track, outdoor track, golf and baseball for men. Women on campus compete in soccer, outdoor track, indoor track, cross country, bowling, tennis, basketball, volleyball and golf. The university offers more than 150 degree areas of study. Students can enter the university as freshmen, receive their degree by attending classes in-person, online or through a hybrid environment and continue their studies all the way to the post-doctoral level. The student body is made up of students from across Arkansas, the U. S. and the world.
https://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/arkansas-state-university-powering-progress-in-northeast-arkansas/
Arkansas State University: Powering Progress in Northeast Arkansas
