ASU Mid-South Receives White River Planning and Development Grant

Arkansas State University Mid-South is pleased to announce the receipt of $50,000 in General Improvement Funds from the White River Planning and Development District, through the support of Senator Keith Ingram. The college will use these funds to purchase 13 automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for the campus, as well as to provide support for Delta Cuisine, the kitchen incubator at ASU Mid-South.

Fifty percent (50%) of the funding, will be used to purchase AEDs and related supplies such as wall cabinets, portable carrying cases, signage, labels, batteries, replacement pads, and training materials. Each unit will be dispersed to campus buildings, ensuring that these vital, potentially life-saving resources are strategically located throughout the ASU Mid-South campus. This will include portable capacity units, which can serve college-sponsored activities outside and at off-campus events.

According to the American Red Cross, sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S., with more than 350,000 people suffering sudden cardiac arrest each year. An AED is the only effective treatment for restoring a regular heart rhythm during sudden cardiac arrest, which can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere, at any age. AEDs are an easy to operate tool, even for someone with no medical background. Having ready access to this potentially lifesaving equipment is extremely important for an educational institution that serves a broad cross-section of the population.

“We had visitor a few years ago who had a heart-related emergency while on our campus. Fortunately for him, his emergency occurred in the one building on campus in which we have an AED, and he was able to be revived by campus personnel. We are grateful for this funding and for the support Senator Ingram has given that will allow us to purchase additional life-saving devices for our campus.”

The remainder of the grant funds will be used to support personnel and operating expenses of the Delta Cuisine incubator kitchen. Delta Cuisine provides technical assistance and commercial kitchen access to support the development of new and early stage businesses in Crittenden County and adjacent areas in eastern Arkansas.

The Delta Cuisine staff provides technical assistance through direct one-on-one coaching, with the majority of coaching focused on topics related to the needs of entrepreneurs. This includes topics such as conversion of product ideas into production formulas, the use of commercial equipment, and financial concepts of cost accounting and pricing. More advanced coaching, such as marketing strategies, is also available.

In addition, ASU Mid-South and Delta Cuisine host market-learning events, such as the Delta Market farmer’s market, during which entrepreneurs sell products and conduct consumer validation research. The Delta Market is beginning its second year located on the ASU Mid-South campus and will be open monthly, the second Tuesday of each month, from May-October. Delta Cuisine also collaborates with Main Street West Memphis so that entrepreneurs can participate in the Holiday Market as an additional marketing opportunity for their products.