About Walton College
Since its founding at the University of Arkansas in 1926, the Sam M. Walton College of Business has grown to become the state's premier college of business – as well as a nationally competitive business school.
The Story of Walton College
The story of the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas doesn't begin or end with the historic $50 million gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation. That watershed moment in 1998, however, has proven to be a fitting tribute to our past, a solid foundation for our present, and a significant springboard toward our future.
Former faculty, staff, students, and donors helped build a college worthy of the largest upfront cash gift ever given to a public business school at that time. The gift provided the much-needed resources for unprecedented growth and recognition as a nationally competitive college.
The college itself was founded in 1926 with 21 students. Today, we have over 10,0000 and with our footings solidly in place, the Walton College is becoming a top-tier public business school.
Overview
Inside Walton
The Power of Place
The Sam M. Walton College of Business is located thirty minutes away from the headquarters of the world’s largest retailer, Walmart. In the past twenty years, over 300 Fortune 500 companies have established satellite offices in Northwest Arkansas to support Walmart. These companies provide our students with unparalleled access to summer internships, part time employment during the regular semesters, and lucrative job opportunities both in Northwest Arkansas and throughout the world after graduation.
Our Facilities: Built For Business
The facilities you'll find at the Sam M. Walton College of Business are the result of decades of planning, dedication, and key financial support from our alumni and supporters.
The Sam Walton Legacy
On October 6, 1998, the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation made the largest upfront cash gift ever given to a public business college – $50 million – to establish the Sam M. Walton College of Business Administration.
Industry Support
Successful alumni, business leaders, and influential industry advisors lend their time, talents, and valuable insights to inform our curriculum, bolster our research, and create meaningful connections between academia and industry.
Information Technology Specialty
Innovative organizations place high value on cross-disciplinary leaders, and we've positioned our curriculum to meet that demand. When information technology expertise is blended with traditional business disciplines, our graduates can 'pull it all together' to make timely, informed decisions for their employers. Enterprise technology gifts from industry partners have greatly benefited our programs. These include real-world data sets from Sam's Club, Tyson Foods, Dillard's, Acxiom and Walmart.