University of the Ozarks in Clarksville has received a $1.2 million grant from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation to help establish the university’s new computer science major.
The start-up funds for the program will help expand the university’s current information science program to include computer science. The funds will cover salary, electrical upgrades, classroom renovations and scholarships for three years.
The new major was approved by the university’s board of trustees during its meeting in October and will be implemented beginning in the 2025 fall semester.
“For Ozarks graduates to continue to be competitive they need the broadest range of possible degree paths,” U of O President Richard Dunsworth said in a news release. “The university first created computer science opportunities in the late 1980s, and this new investment allows us to take the program to a new level, ensuring that our graduates are prepared for the ever-growing and evolving workforce in computer science, artificial intelligence or data science.”
The release stated that adding the computer science major aims to meet the high demand of students who are interested in emerging fields such as data analytics, artificial intelligence cloud computing and cybersecurity.
The curriculum will integrate liberal arts principles such as critical thinking, ethical reasoning and cultural awareness in hopes of developing innovative and socially responsible IT solutions for complex, real-world challenges.
The release said that according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for computer and information technology occupations in 2023 was $104,420 — more than double the median annual wage for all occupations. According to code.org, 67% of all new STEM jobs through 2028 will be in computing.
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