A world-class STEM university is coming to small-town Arkansas

Created by Walmart heirs, the STEM university in Bentonville just got a flashy design by the Bjarke Ingels Group. A major STEM-focused university in the unlikely location of Bentonville, Arkansas, is starting to take shape. Announced in 2025, the university is the brainchild of brothers Tom and Steuart Walton, grandsons of Walmart founder Sam Walton and heirs to the massive wealth the company has created.