ASU-Beebe to Celebrate 90 Years of Education 

The first classes were held in October 1929 with 38 students enrolled. The first graduating class was in 1933. 

With the need for funding beyond that provided by the legislature, the college began charging tuition. The tuition was set at $7 per semester with room and board set at $11 per month.

Through the Great Depression, the college and the local high school shared facilities and faculty. In 1939, State Hall was completed as a depression era public works project, and is the second oldest building on campus. In the late 1930s and early 1940s, the college began running buses to pick up students who could not afford to live on campus. 

The university joined with Arkansas State College in Jonesboro (now Arkansas

State University) in 1955, and Act 84 established Arkansas State CollegeBeebe Branch, which began operating under the authority of the president and board of trustees of Arkansas State College but ran its programs independently. 

In 1967, Arkansas State College became Arkansas State University and the Beebe unit became Arkansas State University-Beebe Branch. Act 90 of 2001 by the Arkansas General Assembly removed the term ‘branch’ from legislation affecting ASU-Beebe.   

Campus Expansion

In 1991, White River Vocational Technical School merged with ASU-Beebe, and was renamed ASU-Beebe/Newport. Then in 2000, the ASU Board of Trustees, the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, and the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board approved the status of ASU-Newport as a stand-alone campus.

The college began teaching classes at the Little Rock Air Force Base in 1965. Growth there was substantial expanding the future security of the college. ASU-Beebe programs at the LRAFB, then as now, operate under a Memorandum of Understanding with the United States Air Force. The Memorandum provides facilities used by ASU-Beebe and other higher education institutions to operate programs as a part of the LRAFB Education Center.

In Fall 1997, ASU-Beebe agreed to offer courses at Heber Springs using classrooms at the Heber Springs High School. Arkansas General Assembly Act 426 of 1999 officially established the Heber Springs campus in response to the community’s desire to have a two-year college presence in Cleburne County. As time progressed, classes were held in the Courthouse Annex on Main Street, using part-time faculty as well as compressed or interactive video courses. The community continued to show support for the Heber Springs campus, and in 2000, the constituents of Cleburne County voted to support the campus with sales tax revenue. As the college grew, a search began in earnest to find a suitable site for the campus that would allow growth to continue. 

In 2000, the first Heber Springs campus facility was built in the Cleburne County Industrial Park on Highway 210 East. Known as the John L. Latimer Skills Training Center, the building was a 25,000 square foot multi-functional facility.

Beginning in March 2002, ASU-Beebe purchased 249 acres on the east side of the city of Heber Springs. Construction on the Heber Springs campus at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain was completed in 2007, which consists of the Academic Center and Student Services/Administration Building.

ASU-Beebe further expanded its offerings through its partnership with Arkansas State University-Jonesboro in 1995 and began offering upper level business courses. Today, students may take baccalaureate and graduate degree coursework in areas, such as education, nursing, and business. 

The university also began delivering courses via the Internet in 1999. Since then, the demand for this alternative online form of educational delivery has grown substantially.

The ASU-Beebe at Searcy campus was added in 2003, following a merger with Foothills Vocational Technical School, which had operated at the site since 1966. The technical focus continued to prepare students for entering the workforce, and now has added other certification and degree options. Dedicated in April 1967 by Governor Winthrop Rockefeller, the focus was to teach students a trade to enter the workforce. 

Leadership

In 1955, the title of chief administrator was changed from president to dean in keeping with the titles of administrators on the Jonesboro campus. B. E. Whitmore was the first to serve as dean of the college during his last year at the school.

William Echols became the first to hold the title of Chancellor from 1977 until 1981. 

Chancellor William H. Owen, Jr. served as chancellor from 1981 until his untimely death in 1994. He had brought to the college a strong commitment from the community. The Owen Center was renamed in his memory. 

Dr. Eugene McKay was appointed chancellor in 1995, serving until his retirement in January 2016. He was honored for his 50 years of service to the university and the ASU System renamed the Student Center in his honor. 

Dr. Karla Fisher was appointed chancellor in 2016 and established a provost model for academics and student services.  

Roger Moore was appointed interim chancellor in August, 2017. 

Courses and Unique Programs  

In 1985, the Arkansas State Technical Institute (ASTI) was created by ACT 496 of the Arkansas General Assembly, in response to a proposal submitted by the university seeking to establish a state technical institute to provide one and two-year training and short courses in the "Hi-Tech" fields.  

ASU-Beebe has several unique programs not offered anywhere else in Arkansas. These are John Deere Agriculture Equipment Technology, Pharmacy Technology, and Veterinary Technology.

ASU-Beebe is the only two-year college in Central Arkansas that offers an Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) degree. The AFA degree has an emphasis in vocal music or instrumental music, theater, graphic design, or creative arts enterprise. This degree is a comprehensive two-year curriculum designed specifically for transfer toward a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. 

ASU-Beebe has the only working farm on a community college in the state. The unique university facilities are used to impart real-world agricultural principles to students through hands-on learning. The 150-acre farm features pasture, livestock working facilities, an orchard, an arena, greenhouse and shop. 

The Searcy campus has a primary focus on technical and occupational programs, where students can complete most of the programs in about one year and earn a technical certificate. These credits will also apply to the Associate of Applied Science in General Technology degree for those who want to continue their education after the technical certificate. The Searcy campus offers programs, such as practical nursing, air conditioning, auto body, automotive, computer machining technology, diesel technology, welding, and EMT/Paramedics.

The Searcy campus continues to serve a range of students from high school through the Regional Career Center, to students completing their General Educational Development (GED) diploma, to traditional and non-traditional students earning technical certificates or associate degrees.

The Heber Springs campus offers industry training at the John L. Latimer Skills Training Center. The 25,000 square foot multi-functional facility has ten classrooms, two computer labs, and a large industrial-type training room available for community and industry needs.  

Campus Life and Historical Significance

ASU-Beebe is the only two-year college in the state with residence halls for students. Horizon Hall and Legacy Hall were dedicated in 2011, and offer single and double suites to house a total of 248 students. Each floor has study halls, and each building has a computer lab, game room and lounging area.  

The Arkansas Shakespeare Festival was founded on the ASU-Beebe campus in 1966 and is one of the oldest continuous educational Shakespeare festivals in America. To date, more than 300 performances of 50 Shakespeare plays have been presented. 

The Miss ASU-Beebe pageant served as a preliminary for the Miss Arkansas beauty pageant in 1988, a distinction that lasted until 1998.  

The Abington Library houses an extensive collection of political and state caricatures by George Fisher, who is an ASU-Beebe alumni and cartoonist.

Aspen Institute Recognition

In addition, ASU-Beebe is nationally recognized by the Aspen Institute for student success rates. For the third time since 2011, the university was included in the top 150 community colleges in the nation by the prestigious Aspen Institute. The university was chosen from among 1,123 community colleges nationwide to compete for the 2017 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence and $1 million in prize funds. The Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, awarded every two years, is the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges and recognizes institutions for exceptional student outcomes in four areas: student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings, and high levels of access and success for minority and low-income students.