ATU, Partners Celebrate Opening of Center

Arkansas Tech University joined with private and public sector partners to celebrate their shared achievement of constructing the $1.3 million Tyson Foods Logan County Career Center with a grand opening ceremony on Monday, Jan. 22.

The facility will allow ATU-Ozark Campus to provide courses in automation technology, allied health and adult education in the Paris community.

“ATU is committed to workforce education,” said Dr. Robin E. Bowen, Arkansas Tech president. “It is a vision championed by our Governor, Asa Hutchinson. We appreciate Governor Hutchinson’s leadership on this important topic, and Arkansas Tech University will continue to be a ready and able partner in providing relevant academic programming to serve our communities. It is our hope, as a university, that the Tyson Foods Logan County Career Center will serve as a model for Arkansas. We hope that it exemplifies the best in making higher education accessible for every Arkansan by utilizing a combination of private and public support. On behalf of Arkansas Tech University, I express sincere appreciation to each of our partners in this endeavor. Together, we have done so much…and this is only the beginning.”

The Tyson Foundation provided a $266,600 grant to assist in the construction of the new educational facility. The building will serve as an Arkansas Tech Career Center (ATCC) satellite location in Paris. A $644,034 regional workforce grant from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education allowed ATU-Ozark to purchase equipment needed for each program.

“I’m excited about the future of Arkansas, where we are and where we’re going,” said Hutchinson. “This career center is a big part of it because of the partnership that is being created and the investment of the community in this important endeavor to give our children the best chance in the future.”

The Tyson Foods Logan County Career Center enables access to credit-bearing credential, certificate and degree attainments offered through Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus. The classes will provide high school students with concurrent college credit at no charge. Adult learners will also have the opportunity to take both GED coursework and industry training classes as a result of the new facility.

The ATCC location in Paris serves high school students from Scranton, Magazine and Paris. For the current semester, there are approximately 58 students enrolled through the center.

“The establishment of the Tyson Foods Logan County Career Center will provide students and employers with educational access to relevant industry training in the high demand fields of automation and allied health,” said Bruce Sikes, chancellor of ATU-Ozark. “We plan on serving entry-level secondary students from the area schools as well as adult learners in need of job training opportunities. Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus appreciates the public and private efforts of the Paris Public Schools, the city of Paris, Tyson Foods, the Economic Development Administration, local and state officials and the leadership of our Governor. Arkansas Tech University is committed to providing the communities it serves with educational programming in support of economic initiatives.”

Tyson Foods Logan County Career Center Grand Opening 1/22/18