JACKSONVILLE — There was standing room only at the Jacksonville-Little Rock Air Force Base University Center grand-opening ceremony on Tuesday.
The more than 46,000-square-foot facility, which sits just outside the gates of the base on the corner of Vandenberg Boulevard and John Harden Drive in Jacksonville, offers higher-education opportunities.
The $14.8 million educational project is a partnership between the city and the base. The people of Jacksonville raised $5 million through a sales tax established in 2003. Those funds, combined with close to $10 million from the U.S. Air Force, built the first-of-its-kind — among other bases — higher-educational facility.
Gov. Mike Beebe praised the relationship between the city of Jacksonville and the Air Force base.
“All of Arkansas, salute and say thank you to the leadership of Jacksonville, both present and past, and to the leadership of Little Rock Air Force Base, both present and past,” Beebe said.
The idea of the University Center was conceived by attorney Mike Wilson, former Jacksonville Mayor Tommy Swaim and retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Paul Fletcher, a former commander at the base.
Universities and colleges represented at the center include Arkansas State University-Beebe, Park University, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Southern Illinois University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Webster University.
“Our No. 1 obligation is education, and a close second is economic development,” Beebe said. “We are lacking, per capita, higher-education degrees.”
Beebe added that this new facility will not only address some of those needs in higher education, but will offer an opportunity for the growth and development of the civilian population.
The project was completed in November, and classes began in January. The student body is made up of both civilians and airmen.
“This is a major milestone for our community,” Jacksonville Mayor Gary Fletcher said about the importance of the two entities working together.
This isn’t the first time the two have come together. In 1951, the residents of Jacksonville raised more than $1 million for the land where the Air Force base now sits.
The facility contains 32 state-of-the-art classrooms, two labs and two common areas. There are also offices for the colleges and universities that offer classes in a wide variety of degree programs.
“It’s fitting that this location happens to sit on top of a hill, making it a reminder to all the people who drive along [U.S. 67/167] that education is a top priority for our city,” Mayor Fletcher said.
Col. Mike Minihan, 19th Airlift Wing commander, gave the mayor a symbolic key before a ribbon cutting.
“This state is phenomenal,” Minihan said. “This community does so much more for our base.”