Our Vision
The College of Engineering will be the destination of choice that maximizes success,
building the premier STEM workforce of the future.
Why it matters
Arkansas faces a growing STEM workforce shortage. Vision 2035 tackles this head-on.
By producing more homegrown engineers, attracting more research funding, and building industry partnerships, Vision 2035 keeps high-wage careers, and the talent that fills them, in state.
$3.9B
in projected additional annual economic impact for Arkansas — according to a study by Heartland Forward.
Our Mission
We are an entrepreneurial engineering platform that provides a holistic educational
experience, generates transformational and relevant knowledge, and grows the STEM
workforce for Arkansas and the world.
The Three Pillars
Three commitments that move Arkansas forward.
PILLAR 01
Lifelong Student Success
(Supporting 150 Forward Pillar 1: Student Success)
We're committed to producing more career-ready, AI-literate graduates through an expanded K-6 STEM pipeline, scholarships, hands-on learning and internships.
PILLAR 02
Transformational Research
(Supporting 150 Forward Pillar 2: Research Excellence)
Our talented faculty and state-of-the-art facilities are growing to advance groundbreaking research and directly position the College to be a key driver supporting the Research Excellence objectives of 150 Forward's Reaching Higher initiative.
PILLAR 03
Destination of Choice
(Supporting 150 Forward Pillar 3: Employer of Choice)
Engineering at the University of Arkansas is building toward becoming the premier
destination for top engineering talent. That means recruiting and retaining retaining
the best talent through competitive pay, world-class facilities and industry ties.
A sample of the industry and academic partners who shaped the plan.
Built With the State of Arkansas In Mind
100+
stakeholder interviews conducted during the planning process
Before a single pillar was drafted, the College of Engineering sat down with more than 100 stakeholders, industry leaders and academic partners from across the state, to better understand what Vision 2035 needed to accomplish. Those conversations, spanning employers, researchers, and higher-ed partners in every corner of Arkansas, made sure the plan was built around the state's real workforce needs rather than assumptions. The result is a strategy industry and academia both had a hand in writing, one designed to work for all of Arkansas.
The Bottom Line
Vision 2035 isn't just a college initiative. It's an Arkansas economic strategy. With the right support from the university, state leaders and stakeholders, Vision 2035 is the engine that drives generational change across the state.