New building opening in time for spring semester on UA’s Texarkana campus

TEXARKANA, Ark. (KSLA) - The spring semester for the University of Arkansas at Hope-Texarkana (UAHT) begins the week of Jan. 9, and students will return to a new facility on the Texarkana campus.

In October of 2021, groundbreaking was held for a new facility on the Texarkana campus of UAHT. Now, work on the facility is nearing completion just in time for the spring semester.

“We have a new classroom for technical education and this semester, spring 2023,” said Jolane Cook, dean of UAHT’s Texarkana campus.

On Friday, Jan. 6, workers were putting the final touches on the $4 million facility, called the Farmers Bank & Trust Workforce Center. It’s a 15,000 square-foot building and will house the welding program, the Secondary Career and Technical Education Center, the Arkansas High Collegiate Academy, and office space.

“We are trying to do more things to be inclusive to our students,” Cook said. “We know in the community we need more people to be welders and do technical work and the things we have opened now is going to allow us to have that.”

On Friday, staff members were also preparing for classes in the new facility; those KSLA spoke with welcome the change.

“It is real exciting for the students and the faculty to get to work in these brand new environments. We are excited to get a fresh start,” said Agnes Tirrito, and instructor at the university.

“Well, it’s a wonderful facility and as we always preach here, it’s a bridge to the future, especially for the younger people in this area, to give them the opportunity we think they merit,” said Edward Lamb, another instructor.

This is the third major building constructed on the Texarkana campus since the University of Arkansas system came to the city 10 years ago. Officials in Texarkana say they hope to continue growing in the area.

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