Founding Faculty Professor

Founding Faculty Professor

Art and Wellness Enterprises (AWE) is a professional services organization supporting non-profits founded by Alice Walton, including the Alice L. Walton Foundation, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, Art Bridges Foundation, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Momentary, and Heartland Whole Health Institute.

Job Title:

Founding Faculty Professor

Reports to:

STEM University President

FLSA Classification:
Exempt

Location:

Bentonville, Arkansas (On-site)

About STEM University

STEM University is a new higher education institution being developed in Bentonville, Arkansas to advance new models of STEM education and workforce development. The university is designed to deliver a flexible, experiential educational model that combines rigorous STEM instruction with an entrepreneurial and business-infused mindset.

The institution will focus on areas such as artificial intelligence, automation and robotics, mobility, health technology, energy systems, and entrepreneurship. Through strong partnerships with industry and regional organizations, STEM University aims to prepare students with practical, high-demand skills needed for the evolving knowledge economy.

The university will develop a distinctive educational model based on experiential learning, stackable credentials, flexible entry and exit pathways, and strong industry engagement. STEM University plans to enroll its first undergraduate class in 2029 and establish a new national model for innovative STEM higher education. Additional information about the university's founding vision can be found here:
Alice L. Walton Foundation announcement.

STEM University is a placeholder title and will be formally named as the institution continues to develop. Initially, faculty will be hired by Art and Wellness Enterprises and immersed in a broader ecosystem on the Crystal Bridges Campus for Art and Wellness, providing shared operational services and subject matter expertise in areas such as curriculum development and K-12 collaboration models, in close proximity to the Alice L.

Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM).

The Founding Faculty Model

STEM University seeks to recruit a small cohort of three to four exceptional founding faculty members who will serve as institutional architects. These individuals will work directly with the President and founding leadership team to design the academic model, shape the culture of teaching and learning, and establish the university's identity. The university anticipates hiring at least one senior faculty member(s) with experience in upper administration.

This model reflects a deliberate departure from conventional hiring practices. Rather than filling predefined disciplinary roles, the university is prioritizing individuals with the capacity to build programs, create new approaches to STEM education, and operate at the intersection of academia, industry, and entrepreneurship. The founding faculty cohort will play a central role in developing the curriculum, launching experiential learning environments, and forming the external partnerships that will define the institution.

The Opportunity

This is a rare opportunity to help create a new model of undergraduate STEM education that is interdisciplinary by design and grounded in real-world problem solving. Founding faculty will contribute to an academic framework that integrates engineering, computing, applied sciences, and entrepreneurship, with a strong emphasis on experiential learning and innovation.

The university aims to position itself among the most forward-thinking institutions in the country, drawing inspiration from pioneering models while advancing a distinct vision shaped by the opportunities of Northwest Arkansas and the broader knowledge economy. The goal is to build an institution unlike others, supported by the recruitment of exceptional faculty.

Responsibilities

Founding faculty will be deeply engaged in curriculum design, working collaboratively to develop an integrated undergraduate experience that embeds experiential learning throughout the program. This includes designing interdisciplinary project sequences, incorporating artificial intelligence as both a subject and a pedagogical tool, and aligning coursework with real-world applications.

They will also contribute to the development of the university's experiential learning environment, including the creation of a maker-centered ecosystem where students can design, prototype, and build solutions. This environment will serve as a cornerstone of the university's academic model and a key differentiator in its approach to STEM education.

In addition, founding faculty will play a critical role in establishing partnerships with industry and regional organizations. These relationships will inform the curriculum, provide opportunities for applied learning, and ensure alignment with workforce and innovation needs.

As members of the founding academic leadership team, these individuals will help shape institutional…