Arkansas State University-Mountain Home (ASUMH) has received a $720,298 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to improve access to education, student services, and workforce training in rural north-central Arkansas.
The funds, provided through the USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program, are part of an $828,343 project that includes a $108,045 funding match from ASUMH. The initiative is designed to modernize distance learning technology and reduce obstacles like geographic isolation, long travel distances, and restricted local resources for roughly 14,319 rural residents.
The project will upgrade classroom technology, videoconferencing, and collaboration tools at ASUMH, Marshall High School, the North Central Career Center, and the Benny Magness Unit Correctional Facility in Calico Rock. These advancements aim to create more interactive learning environments and deliver educational opportunities to students regardless of location.
As part of the initiative, virtual student support services will also be expanded to provide resources like academic advising, enrollment assistance, financial aid guidance, and academic support. These services are intended to help students successfully navigate their educational experience and achieve degrees, certificates, and other credentials.
The grant will bolster workforce development by increasing access to healthcare training, technical education, and skilled trades programs tailored to meet regional labor market demands. Improved technology will enable ASUMH and partnering institutions to offer more opportunities for individuals to develop job-ready skills without requiring additional travel.
In addition to its educational focus, the project will expand correctional education opportunities at the Benny Magness Unit. Planned upgrades include secure instructional technology and a virtual reality welding simulator to help incarcerated individuals acquire technical skills and prepare for reentry into the workforce.
Faculty, educators, and correctional education staff involved in the project will also receive professional development and training to fully utilize the new technology.
Officials see these enhancements as a significant step toward reducing barriers to education and providing greater access to opportunities for residents across the region.