McMillon Innovation Studio expands to allow for growth

The McMillon Innovation Studio, the University of Arkansas’ innovation hub, has doubled its footprint to nearly 2,500 square feet after expanding into the seventh floor of the Harmon Avenue Parking Garage. The studio has existing space on the sixth floor.

The expansion will allow the studio to better accommodate the rising number of student participants and program offerings, according to a news release.

“This growth is essential as the studio has seen a substantial increase in engagement, from 27 teams in 2021 to a record 48 teams last year,” said Jessica Andrews, associate director of the studio. “It will also support the growing Master of Science in product innovation program, which doubled student enrollment this fall, and the undergraduate certificate in organizational innovation, which has a record number of students enrolled.”

Overseen by the UA Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the studio received a foundational gift of $1 million from Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, who graduated from the Sam M. Walton College of Business in 1989.

Launched in 2016, the studio is an innovation hub for UA students of all majors. It works to develop future leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators by cultivating their creative mindset and connecting them to opportunities to make a real-world impact. To help with this, students in the studio have access to mentorship and resources.

The studio has three staff: director Justin Urso, Andrews, and Courtney Ulrich Smith, a design team facilitator. It also has several students who serve as staff and several student workers.