Started in 1909, Arkansas Tech University started as a humble school enabling rural kids to gain a high school diploma and learn better agricultural practices. In 110 years since then, it has evolved into a dynamic center of higher learning in the heart of the Arkansas River Valley. It was originally known as the Second District Agricultural School. As the role and scope of the institution expanded and diversified, the name was changed to Arkansas Polytechnic College in 1925 and Arkansas Tech University in 1976.
Arkansas Tech University is a leader for STEM education in Arkansas, as demonstrated by Arkansas Department of Higher Education data showing that more graduates from Arkansas high schools choose to major in STEM at Arkansas Tech than at any other university in the state. ATU offers instruction in locations across the Arkansas River Valley. These campuses give students complete access to higher education. With programs ranging from a certificate of proficiency through a doctorate, students can leverage their career goals without leaving the River Valley. Each campus offers its own culture and program options, but they provide an equally great experience, regardless of the location or program.
Arkansas Tech University Renovating the Cybersecurity Program
Recently, it added cybersecurity programs to the STEM curriculum at ATU. Arkansas Tech’s Bachelor of Science and Associate of Applied Science degrees in cybersecurity, which debuted in fall 2017, were developed by and proposed by the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Department of Computer and Information Science at ATU. Cybersecurity graduates from ATU are prepared for in-demand career opportunities due to courses that are designed to teach them how a threat occurs, how to prevent a threat and how to recover from a threat. A dedicated lab is designed especially for teaching new cybersecurity lessons where students are prepared to be the security experts of the future.
The cybersecurity lab has built-in pods that enable team-based activities such as hackathons and programming contests. The renovated space includes a server room dedicated specifically to the cybersecurity lab, an upgrade that allows students to engage in more project-based learning in a secure environment. In addition, the lab provides students with real-time data about online threats that exist around the globe.
Preparing Generation with a Wide Program Offering
Arkansas Tech University is a partner in the statewide movement to prepare a generation of Arkansans who can code. In 2016, ATU founded its Bachelor of Science degree in computer science education. This program provides K-12 school districts in Arkansas with a supply of prepared educators who grasp both the technical side of computer science and the pedagogical side of delivering that information to students.
A sampling of degree programs offered through the Arkansas Tech College of Natural and Health Sciences includes biology, biology with a biomedical option, chemistry, engineering physics, environmental science, fisheries and wildlife science, geology, mathematics, nuclear physics, and nursing. The Arkansas Tech College of Engineering and Applied Sciences offers STEM-related programs in disciplines such as computer science, computer engineering, cybersecurity, electrical engineering, emergency management, information technology, and mechanical engineering.
A Passionate Leader Advancing Education
Dr. Robin E. Bowen is the 12th president of Arkansas Tech University who was unanimously elected by the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees. She is the first female president of a public, four-year university in Arkansas. She was also named one of AY Post’s Most Powerful Women and received the Arkansas Traveler certificate from the State of Arkansas. Dr. Bowen is a board member for the Russellville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Arkansas River Valley Alliance for Economic Development and the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Bowen is passionate about advancing education, at all levels, and enhancing economic development in the great state of Arkansas. She received her Doctor of Education degree with an emphasis in higher education administration from Texas Tech University. She also holds a Master of Education degree in rehabilitation counseling from the University of Arkansas and a Bachelor of Science degree in occupational therapy from the University of Kansas.
Promoting Lifelong Learning
Arkansas Tech University participates in the global education market by serving more than 300 international students representing more than 40 nations. Students at the university are benefited from the fundamental culture of grit and perseverance. Resulting, ATU to be one of the top-performing institutions of higher education in the Natural State when it comes to providing access to a better life after graduation. It also helped in increasing the student’s enrollment from the year it was established till date. ATU focuses on student access and student success. By offering programs ranging from technical certificates all the way through a doctoral degree, ATU offers multiple entry points to higher education and a stackable degree approach that promotes lifelong learning. The students of ATU have grit.
The caring, supportive learning environment created and sustained by the faculty and staff channels that innate determination and produces graduates with the skills necessary to compete and contribute in the 21st-century economy. ATU’s goal is to help the student create a better life for themselves. It is the number one in Arkansas and the top 5% in the nation for providing students with upward social mobility—and has been for several years. When every student counts, it focuses on providing a great education just for students. The Arkansas Tech University Museum provides a center to collect, preserve, educate, interpret, and conduct research relevant to the history of human experience within the wider region. The museum also interprets items outside that region that are of interest to the Arkansas Tech University Community.
Tailored Initiatives Hosting Various Career Fairs
Norman Career Services present in ATU involves students in a variety of programs which is designed to prepare graduates for full-time jobs, part-time jobs, internships, graduate/professional school, military services or acceptance to a service program. There are many initiatives such as the Elevate career advancement academy, peer career advising and workshops related to interviewing, resumes, personal branding online, salary negotiation and networking help students in ATU to become career-ready. When it is time to meet potential employers face-to-face, ATU Norman Career Services hosts numerous career fairs that are tailored for employers seeking a particular skill set and students from corresponding major fields of study. Personal, on-campus interviews with potential employers are also facilitated through Norman Career Services.
A Program for the Future
Under this section, we have covered the unique program of the University which is not only futuristic but also meeting the current demands of the students.
The ultimate aim of the student is to get a good placement. A quality education program also required a quality placement facility. When a student bags up good grades, he or she expects that they will be placed in a great organization. At Arkansas Tech University, Norman Career Services uses Handshake to create connections between students and employers. The platform allows the student to post positions, request information sessions, register for events, and schedule on-campus interviews.
On-campus interviewing (OCI) offers employers the opportunity to connect students to positions within their organization. Employers may choose from several different recruiting models that offer varying degrees of control over who you will interview during your visit to Arkansas Tech University.
- Pre-Select: The interviewer screens resumes and invites select applicants to interview.
- Pre-Select with Alternates: The interviewer screens resumes and invites select applicants to interview, and can also select alternates candidates who many sign-up for interviews in any pre-selected candidates decline the interview offer.
- Open: The interviewer does not screen the applicant. Qualified candidates sign up for interviews on a first-come, first-serve basis without an invitation.
- Room Only: The interviewer is completely responsible for building the interview schedule, contacting candidates, and providing the final schedule to Norman Career Services staff upon arrival. Arkansas Tech University holds the room on reservation for the students.
