University of Arkansas

Walton College

The Sam M. Walton College of Business

Walton MBA Insider

Latest Posts

Grace Crain (Walton MBA '23 and Homecoming Queen '21)

Walton MBA Student Grace Crain Hands Off Her Homecoming Crown

2021 Homecoming Queen Grace Crain (Walton MBA ‘23) handed off her crown to fellow Little Rock native Karlie Barnett at the Arkansas vs. Liberty Homecoming football game this year. Grace sat down with Walton MBA Insider to discuss her homecoming experience and what it means to be a leader, a role model and a Razorback.

December 5, 2022 | By Ariel Sibley

Raleigh Woods posing with SpaceX sign

MBA Graduate Reaches New Heights at SpaceX

Raleigh Woods (MBA ’22) secured a full-time position with SpaceX after graduating from the Walton MBA program. She will be working as a sourcing specialist supporting Starlink in the Seattle, WA area.

September 1, 2022 | By Lori Speer

(L-R) Remko van Hoek, Jason Ridge, Tomas Jandik, Rogelio Contreras

Congratulations to Walton MBA Faculty Awards Winners

The 2021-2022 Walton College Faculty Awards have been announced! The recipients were selected based on nominations, their current curriculum vitae and a personal statement that includes teaching evaluations, student comments, sample assignments, summaries of recent research publications, citation counts, grant awards and program innovations.

May 4, 2022 | By Lori Speer

Tina Winham

Alumna Tina Winham Makes a Positive Community Impact

Walton EMBA Program alumna Tina Winham graduated with her MBA in 2018 and currently works as the Walmart lead at Conair in the Hair Beauty Accessories division. With over 15 years of experience overseeing multi-million dollar budgets, Winham has extensive experience with operations, sales and marketing efforts for several major global brands.

May 4, 2022 | By Taylor Poe

Willard J. Walker building

Custom Tracks Through the Walton MBA

Students are specializing their graduate school experience by developing custom degree plans. In this business climate, niche talents can find their place to shine. Currently, the University of Arkansas’ Walton MBA program offers five different career tracks in entrepreneurship and innovation, retail marketing, supply chain management, financial management and data analytics.

April 27, 2022 | By Heidi Rolf

Students at networking event

Walton MBA Students Make Connections at Networking Event

The Walton MBA programs teamed up with Walton Career Services to host a networking event for students prior to the Walton College Spring Business Fair. The event included 51 companies, and all expressed an interest in hiring MBA students. Many second-year students attended the event actively seeking employment, and first-year students made connections with representatives for internships or full-time positions after graduation.

April 2, 2022 | By Ontario West

Willard J. Walker building

Hiring Partners Consider Walton MBA Program a Rich Source of Talent

The Walton MBA program has earned a reputation with employers for being a rich source of talent, producing graduates that embrace the entrepreneurial spirit with a newfound way of strategic thinking. Employers continue to be impressed with graduates’ strong communication, leadership, and decision-making skills. When it comes to hiring decisions, employers recognize that the resources available to Walton MBA students produce top-tier candidates.

February 23, 2022 | By Lori Speer

University of Arkansas campus

Walton MBA Ranks 11th out of 600 programs for ROI by the Wall Street Journal

Few words are heard as often in Walton as “value.” It often seems like one of those words you just cannot escape. You may hear about it with regard to Walton’s EPIC values, the Blockchain Center of Excellence’s research on the “Internet of Value,” the value-added services that the Supply Chain Management Research Center provides, or in everyday classroom discussions.

February 23, 2022 | By Ryan Sheets

Speaker in Front of an Audience

MBA Student John Gaiters on the Trendsetters Foundation

Walton full-time MBA ’22 student John Gaiters serves as a community organizer as the president of the Trendetters Foundation, an organization dedicated to empowering youth through a motivational speaker series. Through the Trendsetters Foundation, high school juniors and seniors as well as college students preparing to enter the workforce can hear from panelists through speaker sessions and online interviews focused on inspiring action and educating youth on life lessons.

February 23, 2022 | By Taylor Poe

Students who completed the MBA Ethics Project

Walton MBA Ethics Project Impact

During the fall of 2021, second-year full-time Walton MBA students completed The Walton MBA Ethics Project. This project was incorporated into the Business Leadership and Ethics course taught by Adam Stovernik, director of Walton MBA Programs and associate professor of management. There were 10 teams of students who received $1,000 to complete a project that will benefit others.

February 2, 2022 | By Mackenzie Brown

Graduate Net Impact activity

Graduate Net Impact Speaker Panel

Graduate Net Impact consists of student organizations and professional groups that strive to build a more sustainable world. By running diverse program initiatives, the University of Arkansas Graduate Net Impact chapter drives meaningful change on campus, in the workplace and in the local community.

November 3, 2021 | By Taylor Poe

MBA Students Career Fair

Event: MBA Career Day

October is a busy month for our Walton MBA full-time students kicking off their fall internship hiring cycle. The MBA Programs Office works with companies to organize an MBA Career Day each year.

October 15, 2021 | By Lindsey Steiger-Muck

Jerra Toms

Welcome New Marketing Director Jerra Nalley Toms

Toms loved her experience in the Walton Executive MBA program. The biggest benefit she gained from the program is reflected in her network; she still talks to her EMBA classmates often, whether it be to solve a business problem or discuss their bi-monthly get-togethers.

October 13, 2021 | By Ariel Sibley

Ontario West's Internship Reflection

Internship Reflection: Ontario West

The Walton MBA program provides every student the opportunity to complete an internship with a company of their desire or companies they have great relationships with. Reminiscing over this past summer, I reflected on the hardships, learning opportunities, soul searching and victories I experienced through multiple internships.

September 1, 2021 | By Ontario West

Sustainability Spotlight Header

Sustainability Spotlight: The Graduate Net Impact Chapter

Full-time MBA students Madison Holden, Alana Collins and Meritt Rae share their experiences with the Graduate Net Impact chapter, a global organization that serves to connect students with sustainability concepts and professionals in the sustainability world.

April 5, 2021 | By Hannah Lee

Full-time MBA Header

Full-time MBA Professional Development

The full-time Walton MBA program’s Professional Development course gives students valuable exposure and experience in a variety of business topics, including soft skills, leadership, stress management, negotiation training, diversity and inclusion, interviewing tips and more.

April 5, 2021 | By Ontario West

Hillside Header

Teaching During the Pandemic

As the University of Arkansas prepares to return to in-person instruction in fall, Walton MBA professors Tomas Jandik and Christian Hofer reflect on teaching during the pandemic.

April 5, 2021 | By Alexandra Goforth

MBA Learning Series Header

The Walton MBA Learning Series

The Walton MBA Learning Series allows students, alumni and the public to practice continuous learning, network with successful working professionals and gain new perspectives.

March 1, 2021 | By Taylor Poe

MBA internship students

Spring Full-time MBA Internship Placements

Full-time MBA students Vasu Chawla, Madeleine Corbell, Brock Davis, Gina Monaldi and Cara Woelffer share their experiences securing their internships as a part of the full-time Walton MBA program.

February 1, 2021 | By Hannah Lee

Willard J. Walker Hall

Outdoors Club Allows Students to Stay Active and Connected

Hayden Banister, full-time Walton MBA student and former regional service manager at J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc., wanted to find opportunities for new students to connect outside of the classroom. Due to COVID restrictions, an Outdoors Club offered a safe space to stay connected.

February 1, 2021 | By Ontario West

Walton MBA Walks

Walton MBA Walks

The Walton MBA Walks initiative, hour-long outdoor executions hosted by Walton College faculty and administration, creates safe opportunities for full-time MBA students to connect with the Walton College community.

November 5, 2020 | By Alexandra Goforth

Karrie Claybrook

Student Spotlight: Karrie Claybrook

In Karrie Claybrook’s life, two people really helped to shape her into the person she is today. Her mother and grandmother instilled in her the importance of education and curiosity. For these trailblazing women, education was the great equalizer, an accomplishment no one could take from them.

November 5, 2020 | By Ontario West

Sarah Goforth

Sarah Goforth Leads Graduate Entrepreneurship Program

Sarah Goforth is the executive director of the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Arkansas. She teaches the graduate level New Venture Development course sequence and oversees the interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship.

October 12, 2020 | By Hannah Lee

Willard J. Walker Hall

Walton MBA Fall 2020 Overview

After moving to remote instruction in mid-March 2020, the University of Arkansas and Walton MBA programs have returned for the Fall 2020 semester with a combination of both remote and in-person class options to maintain a quality educational experience while also protecting the health and safety of the students and faculty.

September 8, 2020 | By Julie Storing

Executive Education

Inaugural Leadership Circle Cohort for Banking and Finance

Walton College Executive Education partnered with Milestone Leadership to host the inaugural cohort of Leadership Circle for Banking and Finance. The six-month program is designed to provide industry leaders with skills, experiences and connections that create a lasting personal, professional and industry impact.

September 8, 2020 | By Alondra Cruz

Full-time internships

Full-time Walton MBA Internships

The Walton MBA internships are incredibly beneficial to students because they allow for the development of valuable work experience based on the student’s interest. Lindsey Steiger-Muck, assistant MBA director at the Walton MBA programs said, “Students have the opportunity to explore a potential career path and give themselves a competitive edge in the job market based on the skills they’ve learned.” Molly Bombonato, Robert Cummings, Sean Grady, Meritt Rae and Sydney Wendfeldt spoke about their internship experiences.

September 8, 2020 | By Hannah Lee

Jeff Murray's Hidden Signs podcast

Jeff Murray’s New Executive MBA Podcast

Jeff Murray, professor in the Department of Marketing at the Sam M. Walton College of Business, joined the University of Arkansas in 1989. Murray, a Colorado-native turned long-term Arkansas resident, currently teaches in the Executive MBA and Full-time MBA programs at Walton College. When the university moved to remote instruction in March, Murray wanted a high-context medium to ease the lack of face-to-face interaction with his Executive MBA students. He kept coming back to the idea of a podcast. Season 1 of Hidden Signs is now available to students, alumni and the public.

September 8, 2020 | By Alexandra Goforth

Walton College at 2nd and Main in Little Rock, AR

Walton College Executive Education and MBA Programs Partner for Greater Learning Opportunities

Walton College Executive Education is partnering with the Walton College Executive MBA program to provide professional development opportunities for EMBA students. The students will receive complementary registration to the Executive Education fall open enrollment programs during which time they will have access to the Executive Education expertise, resources and developmental aid.

August 7, 2020 | By Alondra Cruz

Walton MBA Conversations

Walton MBA New and Returning Programs

Walton MBA will host several new and returning programs this fall. Walton Fuse, Walton MBA Learning Series, Walton MBA Conversations and the Professional Development workshop series will bring industry experts and leading business topics to Walton MBA students, alumni and the public. Registration links for public events available on Walton MBA LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram one week prior to the event date.

August 7, 2020 | By Alexandra Goforth

Bill Ryan

Bill Ryan Joins MBA Programs as Career Coach

To better assist the Walton MBA students as they navigate an ever-changing job market, Bill Ryan has joined the Walton MBA Programs office as a career coach. This new position will primarily assist Executive MBA students as they plan their career paths after graduation.

August 7, 2020 | By Julie Storing

Heartland Challenge

Jaymin Patel and CelluDot: The Heartland Challenge

Jaymin Patel is an operations science analyst at ArcBest Technologies, a logistics provider in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He graduated last month from our Walton Executive MBA program. During his time as a student in the Walton EMBA program, Patel’s focus study area was entrepreneurship. He holds a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering from the University of Arkansas. This past summer, Patel participated in the inaugural Heartland Challenge.

August 7, 2020 | By Hannah Lee

Adam Stoverink

Adam Stoverink Offers New Business Leadership and Ethics Course

Adam Stoverink, Ph.D. is an associate professor of management in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas. Dr. Stoverink teaches leadership to undergraduate, graduate and executive audiences and also instructs a teaching seminar in the Walton College doctoral program.

August 7, 2020 | By Hannah Lee

The Tango Press

The Tango Press Business Model with John Ballentine

Small businesses are facing the brunt of COVID-19 shutdowns. In one of the first analyses of the impacts of the pandemic on small businesses, Stanford reported a 22% reduction in active small business owners between February and April – an estimated loss of 3.3 million businesses in less than three months. However, some businesses are thriving under the current social and economic climates. Walmart’s online sales are up 74% and telehealth visits are skyrocketing. But why are some businesses doing better than others?

August 7, 2020 | By Alexandra Goforth

Ben Davis and Jeff Cady

Ben Davis and Jeff Cady Receive 2020 Outstanding Graduating Student Awards

Healthcare Executive MBA students, Ben Davis, medical director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and Jeff Cady, associate director of strategic accounts at Johnson and Johnson Health Care Systems, were recognized on April 24 as outstanding graduating students from the Walton College Class of 2020

May 11, 2020 | By Alexandra Goforth

Walton College

Walton MBA Student Spotlight: Giang Dang Vu

The Walton MBA Program believes in the value of a diverse cohort. Students come from a variety of backgrounds, with different undergraduate degrees and from different parts of the world. International students add variety to the MBA program by offering unique perspectives and enriching class discussion.

May 11, 2020 | By Sarah Williamson

MBA student workers

Farewell to Walton MBA Student Workers

We are saying goodbye to three incredible student workers as they leave for local internships. Ashley Perone, Chrissy Matlock and Cornelia Swardh have been instrumental in assisting staff and helping to organize key Walton MBA events. Each student worker has been awarded a yearlong internship with local corporations and will be moving to the next chapter in their professional development.

May 11, 2020 | By Sarah Williamson

Walton College

Walton MBA Alumni Spotlight: Shan Pesaru

Shan Pesaru is the owner and CEO of Sharp Hue and a 2007 Walton Executive MBA alum. He graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering in 2005 and says he was missing the experience needed for business ownership and entrepreneurship before joining the program. Pesaru says the Walton MBA gave him the confidence and skills he needed to start his business.

May 11, 2020 | By Alexandra Goforth

Sustainability and Resiliency in Times of Uncertainty with Dr. Christy Melhart Slay

Christy Melhart Slay, director of technical alignment for The Sustainability Consortium, a global organization co-led by the University of Arkansas and Arizona State University that helps industries “define, develop and deliver more sustainable products,” earned her Ph.D. in biological sciences from the University of Arkansas in 2010. As a graduate student she was interested in sustainability and the intersection of science and business.

May 11, 2020 | By Alexandra Goforth

Vernon “Vern” Richardson

2019 Walton MBA Faculty of the Year

Every year, the Walton College MBA Faculty of the Year award is bestowed upon an exceptional faculty member to recognize their influence as an educator and a leader among the MBA and Executive MBA (EMBA) programs.

March 27, 2020 | By Sarah Williamson

Walton College

Walton College of Business

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. Learn more...

The Walton MBA

Welcome to Walton MBA Insider! Join us here or subscribe to our monthly newsletter for regular student, alumni, faculty, corporate partner and community features. We would love to hear from you! Visit our website or contact us directly at (479) 575-2851 to learn more about the Full-Time and Executive MBA programs at Walton College.


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