Forum: Entrepreneurs Will Wed History, Future of Entrepreneurship in Arkansas

Photo by David Speer

Dean Matt Waller of the Walton College will teach another Honors College class in fall 2018.

Curiosity, passion, vision and willingness to take risks.

If that sounds like you — or like the person you wish to be — check out a University of Arkansas Honors College class being taught next fall on Arkansas entrepreneurs.

Matt Waller, dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business, will teach the Forum: Entrepreneurs class that will explore the range of entrepreneurs in Arkansas who built Fortune 500 companies from the spark of an idea and those who are working now to emulate them.

"Arkansas has an amazingly successful list of entrepreneurs, including those who have built companies that are headquartered in Arkansas and some who have established businesses elsewhere," Waller said. "One goal of this course is for students to develop a rich understanding of these entrepreneurs so that they can apply the key lessons in their lives and businesses."

The class will combine class discussion of the history and background of entrepreneurship in Arkansas with talks by men and women who are working today to build the visionary Arkansas companies of tomorrow.

"Entrepreneurs have a bias for action, can deal with ambiguity and uncertainty, and demonstrate persistence," Waller said. "These students will learn from the example of the giants of Arkansas business and today's top practitioners to grow their ideas, to create the future."

To apply to join the class, go to the Forum: Entrepreneurs application form and sign up. The application deadline is midnight Wednesday, March 28.

"This forum will examine the best Arkansas entrepreneurs from the past and give honors students the opportunity to learn directly from master entrepreneurs putting those concepts in motion," said Lynda Coon, dean of the Honors College. "Students will learn what entrepreneurs have done in our state and what they're doing today."

Students accepted for the class will be those who demonstrate a willingness to learn and develop entrepreneurial skills, to network with class speakers and to actively participate in class discussions and other course-related activities.

They will have the opportunity to meet and discuss entrepreneurship with several successful entrepreneurs during the class, to practice networking skills and to learn first-hand from the successes and failures of entrepreneurs.

Forum: Entrepreneurs is another in the Honors College Forum series, which brings top faculty and administrators together with honors students to discuss trending issues. Waller taught a similar Honors College forum class in fall 2017 on Arkansas Business.

About the Honors College: The University of Arkansas Honors College was established in 2002 and unites the university's top undergraduate students and professors in a learning environment characterized by discovery, creativity and service. Each year the Honors College awards up to 90 freshman fellowships that provide $70,000 over four years, and more than $1 million in undergraduate research and study abroad grants. The Honors College is nationally recognized for the high caliber of students it admits and graduates. Honors students enjoy small, in-depth classes, and programs are offered in all disciplines, tailored to students' academic interests, with interdisciplinary collaborations encouraged. Fifty percent of Honors College graduates have studied abroad — three times the national average — and 100 percent of Honors College graduates have engaged in mentored research.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.