ASUMH Holds Dedication and Grand Opening of Dr. Robert L. Myers Technical Education Campus and Czeschin – Newth Workforce Development Center
A ribbon cutting was held on Thursday, May 30, 2024, at the technical education campus of Arkansas State University-Mountain Home (ASUMH) to honor Dr. Robert L. Myers, Chancellor Emeritus of ASUMH and interim president of the ASU System, along with the Czeschin and Newth families for their support of the workforce and technical education facility at the college. Mountain Home Mayor Hillrey Adams and the Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce joined ASUMH Chancellor Dr. Bentley Wallace in a grand opening celebration that dedicated the newly named Dr. Robert L. Myers Technical Education Campus and the Czeschin – Newth Workforce Development Center at ASUMH.
“Great cities and great colleges go hand-in-hand,” said Dr. Bentley Wallace at the dedication. “You never see one without the other. At Arkansas State University-Mountain Home, we are engaged in workforce development. That, in turn, results in important economic development. This place, and the people who work and learn here, are the embodiment of what must happen if we are to maintain and expand the economy of our region.”
“Being a center of excellence, being a place where lives are changed, requires a number of important things to come together. Of course, we have to have smart and capable people to design and deliver industry-specific educational programs, but before we can start that work, we must have people with vision, passion, and commitment to make an enterprise like this possible. And efforts like this required dedicated partners who put their time and resources into making it successful,” added Wallace. “Several years ago, Dr. Myers saw the future and knew that the college would have to expand if we were going to be able to adequately serve employers in our area. He had the vision but needed a place for it to be fulfilled. The Czeschin and Newth families recognized a moment in time where need and opportunity intersected. As they have been known to do, they once more stepped in to support our community in a meaningful and impactful way. The campus, and the learning that happens here, are a direct result of that collective vision and commitment to elevating those around us.”
Following a message from Mountain Home Mayor Hillrey Adams and a ribbon cutting by the Mountain Home Area Chamber of Commerce, guests toured the facility’s classrooms and labs including marine manufacturing, mechatronics, machining, automotive systems repair, welding, and commercial truck driving.
Dr. Robert L. Myers Technical Education Campus
In July of 2023, the ASU System Board of Trustees approved the naming of the technical campus at U.S. Highway 62 West for Dr. Myers in recognition of his contributions to the development of the technical center and advancements at ASUMH. The resolution was approved during a special board meeting, where Dr. Myers was also given the designation of Chancellor Emeritus following his retirement after 11 years of service to ASUMH. His innovative leadership as Chancellor of ASUMH provided the impetus for development of many new technical programs on the campus. He also oversaw a rebranding initiative that included a new logo and mascot, the TrailBlazer owl, and guided the campus through the pandemic challenges. His commitment to community partnerships led to the creation of a disc golf course, a walking and biking trail, and a community holiday festival, The Coulter Celebration of Lights. Myers is currently serving as interim president of the ASU System.
The original building at the technical campus was named the Czeschin – Newth Workforce Development Center at the September 2023 meeting of the ASU System Board of Trustees. The Czeschin and Newth families have a long history with ASUMH and were recognized for their support with this naming.
Czeschin Family
The Czeschin family has been associated with the Arkansas State University-Mountain Home Workforce Development Center since it opened on Highway 62 West in 2014. The 20,000-square-foot building, owned by the Czeschins and Ultimate Auto Group, was acquired by ASUMH through a lease agreement when Ultimate built a new Buick dealership closer to other dealerships in the Ultimate Auto Group family. This allowed ASUMH to rapidly expand its pre-existing welding program and begin offering new programs like Mechatronics and Automotive Systems Repair. The existing service bays in the back of the building were left intact, allowing the college to step immediately into automotive services instruction and to convert the service drive into welding labs easily.
The Czeschins saw the value of the technical programs to the Twin Lakes Area and became advocates for the workforce development programs offered on the new campus. In 2016, the Mountain Home Charity Golf Classic, a long-running tournament sponsored in large part by Yelcot and the Czeschins, directed the tournament's proceeds to the ASUMH Technical Center and its program needs. Over $200,000 has been raised for technical programs and state-of-the-art equipment needs at ASU-Mountain Home through the Charity Golf Classic. In 2023, the Czeschins provided a significant gift to enable the purchase of the Czeschin - Newth Workforce Development Center, which secured its place as a second campus of the college.
Sara Czeschin Zimmerman has been a member of the ASUMH Board of Visitors since 2015, serving as Secretary, Vice Chairman, and Chairman. Yelcot has supported the college extensively through the years and is a proponent of our Computer Information Systems program, hiring many of its graduates. Clint Czeschin has served on the program's Advisory Board for a number of years. Whatever the project at ASUMH, the Czeschins are advocates and continue to support its mission by creating opportunities and changing lives.
For their numerous contributions to ASU-Mountain Home, the Czeschin name will be linked to the success of students at ASU-Mountain Home and the growth of the workforce in the Twin Lakes Area. The college would like to express its gratitude to the late Calvin and Sissy Czeschin, and their surviving children, Sara, Clint, Karen, and Betsie, for their generous support of ASUMH through the years.
Newth Family
When Kenny and Laura Newth moved to Mountain Home in 1998, they knew they wanted to get involved at ASU-Mountain Home. At their three McDonald's restaurants, they often hired ASUMH students and supported their goals, working around class schedules and encouraging students to succeed. Many students graduated and moved into management positions for the Newths. The restaurants provided a great starting point for people interested in advancing their lives and careers.
For over two decades, Laura was a dynamic presence at the college, engaging in a variety of activities. She didn't just speak to business classes or participate in Career Day activities; she inspired students, showing them what they could achieve with the right support and determination. Her early support for the Women's Business Leadership Class at ASUMH and her consistent donations to projects for business students demonstrated her unwavering commitment to their success.
Student learning experiences extend far beyond the classroom, and the Newth family saw that firsthand at their restaurants. In 2010, the Newths established a scholarship at ASUMH. The endowed scholarship had one primary criteria: the student had to be gainfully employed while attending college, working no less than 20 hours a week.
The Newths saw the value of having a community college in a small town from the perspective of both students and employers. Kenny graduated from a community college and Laura was an active volunteer at ASUMH where she served on ASUMH's Foundation Board of Governors and on the Coulter Celebration of Lights committee. In 2022, the Newths again supported the college with a gift naming the Kenny and Laura Newth Disc Golf Course on the main campus. Another gift in 2023 provided funding to support the purchase of the Czeschin—Newth Workforce Development Center.
The Newths felt that supporting workforce development was a good fit, as they understood the value of hands-on learning and giving people a start toward a promising career. While Mountain Home will always be the Newth's forever home, they now live outside Austin, Texas, near their children. For their numerous donations to support projects at ASUMH, the Newth name will be linked to the student success with the naming of the Workforce Development Center in their honor. ASUMH is grateful for the many lives the Newths touched through their support of these projects.
For more information on technical and workforce education programs at ASUMH, visit www.asumh.edu or call 870-508-6100.
Photo: (left to right) Dr. Robin Myers, Laura Newth, Mayor Hilrey Adams, Sara Czeschin Zimmerman, Dr. Bentley Wallace (photo credit: James Moore)