Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Receives $200,000 Gift From Valynda Ewton

Valynda Ewton, an entrepreneur and alum of the Sam M. Walton College of Business, has made a gift of $200,000 to support student entrepreneurship and innovation programs across campus through the U of A's Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

“Valynda Ewton’s gift will help University of Arkansas students gain hands-on experience turning ideas into innovation and impact,” said Chancellor Charles Robinson. “We are grateful for her generosity and the meaningful difference it will make for our students and the people, organizations and industries that benefit from their work.”

The gift will support OEI’s Excellence Fund, launched in May 2025, to expand experiential learning opportunities for students, strengthen startup and innovation programming and increase support for student founders building businesses through the U of A. 

“Made@UA showcased something we believe deeply at Walton College, that students learn best when they are actively engaged in solving problems, testing ideas and building alongside others,” said Brent Williams, dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business. “Valynda’s investment helps us continue creating those transformational experiences for University of Arkansas students.” 

“It was very enlightening, and I am so happy I made the choice to support OEI,” Ewton said. “I firmly believe in young adults creating and following their own path, and the support OEI gives students is encouraging not only for the university but for the next generation. 

Ewton, who graduated from the Walton College in 1971, is the former president at Broker/Dealer Concepts Inc. in Dallas, Texas. Ewton ran the company from 1984 until her retirement in 2020. 

“Made@UA gave people the opportunity to see the depth of innovation and entrepreneurship happening across our campus,” said Deb Williams, senior director of operations and student programs for OEI. “Our students are actively building businesses, solving problems and gaining real-world experience through these programs. Ewton connected with that immediately, and her gift will help us continue creating those opportunities for future students.”

“Entrepreneurship and innovation experiences create space for students to explore ideas, take risks and learn through doing,” said Scott Varady, vice chancellor for advancement. “We are grateful for Valynda Ewton’s investment in experiences that encourage creativity, problem-solving and student growth at the University of Arkansas.”

Made@UA Week was created to highlight the growing culture of innovation and entrepreneurship happening across the U of A. The week featured student-focused events, founder conversations, mentoring opportunities, startup pitches and a Startup Expo and Dinner held April 18 at the SEC Club in Razorback Stadium.

Student teams competing in small business, technology, graduate and audience choice tracks received funding to support the continued growth of their ventures. Participating startups represented a wide range of industries and ideas, from AI and MedTech to consumer products, recruiting services and mission-driven small businesses.

The Winning Teams

Small Business Track

First Place: Elite Level Scouting / $2,500 

• Members: Hugo Alejandro Morales, junior, business economics; Diego Jiminez, junior, marketing
• Mission: Elite Level Scouting is a sports recruitment agency that gets international athletes placed into US college soccer programs. 

Second Place: Kate & Mae / $1,000 

• Members: Kate Parsons, sophomore, organizational management 
• Mission: Kate & Mae designs high-quality, co-branded jewelry for mission-driven companies and stylish pieces directly to customers.

Third Place: JTA Lawn Care / $500 

• Members: Jaydin Arroyos, sophomore, Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Venture Innovation (SEVI) 
• Mission: Our mission is simple: serve our community with honest, affordable and high-quality lawn care. We are rooted in faith, built on service and committed to making sure every client is taken care of the right way. JTA Lawn Care was founded in memory of my late father, Joaquin Town Arroyos.

Technology Track 

First Place: Unico / $2,500 

• Members: Hannah Pettit, junior, finance
• Mission: Unico is an innovative fashion and tech startup that stylizes the modern traveler through AI wardrobe solutions, curated not only for you but for your destination.

Second place: Print Ease / $1,000 

• Members: Jude Crowson, sophomore, finance and real estate 
• Mission: Print Ease creates wireless adapters for wired legacy printers, allowing users to print wirelessly via traditionally wired printers. 

Third Place: Inlit AI / $500 

• Members: Harrison Hale, sophomore, business administration; Hudson Hale, senior, mechanical engineering
• Mission: Inlit AI is an AI-powered fully automated customer reception and communication platform built for small and medium-sized businesses. Inlit acts as a full-time, well-versed AI employee that handles inbound phone calls, SMS and email, acting as an always-on front desk that never misses a customer inquiry. 

Startup Expo (Audience Choice)

DatoVero / $1,000 

• Members: Hudson Crum, junior, accounting 
• Mission: DatoVero builds custom software for non-profits and small businesses that would rather focus on driving a mission instead of being bogged down with data. 

Graduate Track 

First place: Altaris MedTech / $1,000 

• Members: Joey Hobbs, Master of Biomedical Engineering; Lance Lockwood, Executive Master of Business Administration 
• Mission: Developing a painless, non-invasive Strep A diagnostic experience designed to eliminate the most dreaded part of sore-throat care: the swab.

About the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation:  The Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation creates and curates innovation and entrepreneurship experiences for students across all disciplines. Through the Brewer Family Entrepreneurship Hub, McMillon Innovation Studio, Startup Village, and Greenhouse at the Bentonville Collaborative, OEI provides free workshops and programs — including social and corporate innovation design teams, venture internships, competitions, and startup coaching. A unit of the Sam M. Walton College of Business, OEI also offers on-demand support for students who will be innovators within existing organizations and entrepreneurs who start something new.

About the Sam M. Walton College of Business: The Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas is one of the nation's leading public business schools, serving more than 10,300 students across undergraduate, master's and doctoral programs. Through applied learning, impactful research, and deep industry partnerships, Walton prepares leaders to compete and innovate in a global economy.

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas' flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas’ economy  through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.