Arkansas State University-Mountain Home (ASUMH) has received a $720,298 federal grant to expand education and workforce training opportunities in rural parts of north-central Arkansas. Funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine program, the grant will bring new classroom technology to ASUMH’s campus, Marshall High School, the North Central Career Center in Leslie, and the Benny Magness Unit Correctional Facility in Calico Rock.
ASUMH will add $108,045 in matching funds, bringing the total project investment to $828,343. The funding will cover equipment purchases like videoconferencing tools, collaboration software, and virtual reality systems to give students access to live, interactive classes without requiring long commutes.
ASUMH Chancellor Dr. Bentley Wallace emphasized the importance of the investment, saying, “This investment will help us strengthen our ability to reach rural communities, support students as they work toward their educational goals, and prepare more individuals for careers that are important to the economic vitality of north-central Arkansas.”
The project particularly focuses on areas outside Baxter County. Both Marshall High School and the North Central Career Center belong to the Searcy County School District. The Benny Magness Unit, located in Izard County, houses up to 800 inmates, according to the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
In addition to classroom technology, ASUMH will use the grant to expand student advising services, financial aid counseling, and tutoring through virtual platforms. This will allow students in rural areas, such as Marshall and Calico Rock, to access critical academic services without needing to travel to the ASUMH campus.
The program also aims to meet workforce demands in the region. ASUMH will use the funds to enhance training in healthcare, skilled trades, and technical education, disciplines that align with local industry needs. Programs offered at ASUMH’s Robert L. Myers Technical Education Campus include welding, mechatronics, automotive service, and boat manufacturing.
One unique element of the project will focus on the Benny Magness Unit Correctional Facility. Secure technology, including a virtual reality welding simulator, will be installed at the prison, providing inmates with technical skills training to ease their transition back into the workforce after their release. The grant also covers training for teaching and correctional staff on the use of the new tools.
Dr. Robert Shurley, ASUMH provost, credited the grant’s success to the collective efforts of staff, including contributions from former employees who initiated the application process and Director of IT Tamya Stallings, who played a pivotal role in securing the award. “Projects like this are never the result of one person,” Shurley said. “This achievement belongs to all of them, and now the real work begins.”
The Distance Learning and Telemedicine program is a competitive initiative that supports rural schools and healthcare providers in communities with populations under 20,000. This fiscal year, it awarded $27 million nationally, with $4.8 million going to seven projects in Arkansas. ASUMH’s grant was among these, alongside funding for school districts in Gosnell, Searcy County, Helena-West Helena, and others.
Notably, the Searcy County School District itself received a separate $749,119 grant to support technology for its students, independent of ASUMH’s award. Together, these investments aim to connect rural students and enhance long-term educational opportunities in the region.
ASUMH has not yet announced when the new equipment will be installed or when classes using the technology will begin.