Sustainability &
Entrepreneurial Education
for a Global Workforce
NorthWest Arkansas Community College
Dr. Becky Paneitz
Dr. Susan Holmes
Dr. Donna Wood
Serving the Workforce of NW Arkansas
•Regional population of 385,000
•13% Hispanic population
•Fortune 500 companies
(Wal-Mart, J.B. Hunt, & Tyson Foods)
•16,000+ served in 2007
•95% of all students stay in region
•Fall 2008 Semester:
•18th consecutive record fall enrollment
• 7,298 credit students; 63,331 SSCH
•1,000+ workforce development
•1,100 adult/community education
Serving a Global Workforce
•Critical Regional Industries*
•Manufacturing
•Government
•Retail trade
•Health care & social assistance
•Transportation & warehousing
•Construction
•Management & professional/technical services
*Source: Gap Analysis Regional Overview
(in partnership with ADHE & AATYC)
Serving a Global Workforce
•Top Community Needs
•Training for veterans, women, minorities
•Support for small business
•Education & industry partnerships
•“Hands on” learning opportunities
•Collaborative engagement
•“Green” leadership
•Entrepreneurial education
•Training & support for critical regional industries
And the journey begins…
Timeline
•Fall 2006
•Brought together regional stakeholders
•Presented idea for “Entrepreneurial Center”
•Feedback: broaden our vision/scope
•February 2007
•$4M challenge grant proposal developed and
presented to Walton Family Foundation
Timeline
•April 2007
•$4M challenge grant awarded
•May 2007
•$1.8M matching gift from Jack Shewmaker
•Fall 2007
•Updated NWACC’s Master Plan
•Conducted stakeholder surveys & focus groups
•Stakeholder feedback used to develop
preliminary program plan
Toward a Global Business
Development Center
• Used competitive process to select WD&D as project
architect (also designed Shewmaker Center for
Workforce Development in November 2006)
• Formed a “Users Group” of internal stakeholders to
meet with architect to design the building
• Planning process evolved as a result of stakeholder
feedback, industry partnerships, & donor support
• Talks with Stribling Packaging and Wal-Mart resulted
in addition of sustainability curriculum to GBDC
Toward a Global Business
Development Center
• NWACC leased ground to NWACC Foundation
• Foundation secured commercial loan with Arvest Bank
• RFQ issued to potential contractors in Summer 2008;
Flintco selected September 2008
• Completed design is a 40,000 sq. ft. $8M project
• The Global Business Development Center will be a
regional hub for entrepreneurial activities
• Four GBDC institutes will serve & strengthen
northwest Arkansas regional community
Preliminary Program Planning
• Entrepreneurial Studies Institute
• Retail Institute
• Transportation and Logistics Institute
• Stribling Sustainability Institute
• John & Emily Douglas Learning Resource Center
• Horace & Jeretta Hardwick Hospitality Center
• Randy & Valorie Lawson SIFE Center
• University Partnership Center
Serving a Global Workforce
•Our vision for the GBDC
•Strengthen national initiatives to develop
entrepreneurs
•Create more sustainable business and industries
•Strengthen the nation’s ability to compete in a
global economy
The Global Business Development Center
Opens January 2010