FORT SMITH -- The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith will receive two grants totaling nearly $2 million to implement educational programs in robotics and computer science at area high schools.
A news release from the university said a $987,000 grant from the Arkansas Department of Higher Education will be used to set up university-supervised robotics labs in the Fort Smith, Greenwood and Charleston school districts.
The program will help train students for careers in advanced manufacturing to ensure the economic resilience of the region, Chancellor Paul Beran said in a statement.
A Higher Education Department grant last year was used by the university to develop the program with the help of business partners such as Wal-Mart, Hickory Springs Manufacturing, the Western Arkansas Planning and Development District, and the Western Arkansas Workforce Development Board.
Employees from industry partners will serve as mentors to students in the program.
The other higher-education grant, totaling $984,000, will be used to create a program that offers high school students in the Fort Smith, Van Buren and Alma school districts classes in introductory computer science, networking, programming and operating systems, the release said.
The university collaborated in creating the program with Wal-Mart, the Arkansas Air National Guard's 188th Wing, First National Bank, Arvest, and Weldon, Williams & Lick, whose employees also will serve as mentors.
State Desk on 07/21/2016