6 | Spring 2025
North Arkansas College Center : ROBOTICS AND MANUFACTURING INNOVATION SET TO TRANSFORM WORKFORCE TRAINING
HARRISON , AR - Construction of North Arkansas College ’ s newest addition , the Center for Robotics and Manufacturing Innovation ( CRMI ), is progressing smoothly . Work on the facility began in March 2024 , and it is set to be completed by late summer 2025 .
Northark is the first community college in Arkansas to build a dedicated robotics and manufacturing center on its campus .
Located on the South Campus , on the hillside near Pioneer Drive and the Greenhouse , the one-story , 20,000-square-foot CRMI will enhance teaching spaces for both credit and non-credit workforce programs in fields such as robotics , manufacturing , machining , and electronics .
The project was designed by Risley & Associates , an architectural firm from Fort Smith , with Clark Construction serving as the contractor . The CRMI aims to address the growing demand for skilled employees in these fields while providing students with modern , hands-on training . The facility will feature three laboratories for robotics , manufacturing , and electronics , along with three classrooms and a “ Maker Space ” for innovation .
The $ 10M project is funded by a combination of grants and contributions : a $ 3 million grant from the State of Arkansas , a $ 2 million Economic Development Grant , $ 700,000 from the Boone County Economic Development Committee , a $ 100,000 Economic Development Grant from the City of Harrison for equipment , and $ 4.1 million from North Arkansas College .
Richard Stipe , vice president for Finance and Administration at Northark , emphasized that the project is part of the college ’ s long-term vision . “ The CRMI was designed to attract students to these programs while strengthening our partnerships with local industries ,” Stipe explained . “ The goal is to ensure delivery of the most relevant education while providing businesses a space to learn , test and update equipment and collaborate with others .”
As part of the planning process ,
Stipe and the design team traveled to Festo headquarters in Mason , Ohio to view a new state of the art modernized facility . There , they observed cuttingedge systems and gathered insights to inform the design of Northark ’ s CRMI .
A standout feature of the CRMI will be the “ Maker Space ,” an area designed to foster innovation and collaboration . Dr . Ricky Tompkins , vice president of Technical Education and Workforce Development , pointed out the growing Maker community and its impact . “ The Maker Space is where local entrepreneurs can connect with faculty and students to experiment with modern technologies and bring their ideas to life . It is a space for creativity and collaboration that will help fuel future businesses in our area ,” Tompkins said .
The CRMI will also include a conference room for workforce training , such as OSHA certification programs , which local businesses can utilize for training off-site .
Tompkins , who joined Northark last fall , is enthusiastic about the CRMI ’ s
ARCHITECTURAL RENDERING OF THE COMPLETED CRMI .
Harrison Regional Chamber of Commerce