The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is putting on an aviation camp for girls in Springdale in a few weeks, and it’s not too late to send in an application to participate! 

• Building professionals: The S.H.E. Can STEAM camp exists to promote women and minorities in STEAM fields. Arkansas’ camp will be at Har-Ber High School March 19-22 from 9a-4p every day and will introduce participants to the science of flight and diverse aviation careers. 
• Soaring high: New campers must be in grades 6-8. Each session will have 30 students who will build confidence through their time learning about flight and STEAM careers. Applications for Arkansas are open on a rolling admission process.

For more info, click HERE. 

The annual Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism is this month in Fayetteville and Experience Fayetteville is leading a pre-conference Urban Excursion throughout the city’s network of paved trails. 

• Educate: The Governor’s Conference on Tourism is Feb. 27-March 1 and is meant to provide information for Arkansas destinations to stand out and lure even more visitors to our wonderful state. The conference will include educational sessions, marketing strategies, current travel trends, and more! 
• Roam: The pre-conference excursion experience will take place on personal bikes and/or rented e-scooters. The ride will be about an hour with a stop for coffee or local brew before returning to square one. The event can be added to conference registration here. 

For more info on the conference, click HERE. 

An empowerment program with the goal of aiding local Black and minority-owned businesses with funding, resources, and retail expertise has come to Northwest Arkansas and opened applications for its second round of investments. 

• Doors open: The Partner to Empower Program is ultimately for entrepreneurs and businesses that want to open a physical storefront within the Brookfield Properties U.S. mall portfolio, and specifically for small and under-represented groups. 
• Phases: The program will expand nationwide in 2022, but the first phase has applications limited to malls in 10 Southern states, including Arkansas. Applications for the Pinnacle Hills Promenade in Rogers are open now through March 18. The 3rd round will mark the store build-out stage and a Retail Workshop. 

More info HERE. 

Yet another opportunity for entrepreneurs and creatives has graced Northwest Arkansas and is awaiting applications from makers for its second cohort. 

• Learn: The Fayetteville Public Library’s From Maker to Market entrepreneurship program is a 12-week educational experience with professionally run classes for product and business development. Applications are open until March 15.
• Do: Equipment in the Center for Innovations, tools in the Fabrication and Robotics Lab will provide in-depth training tools for building product prototypes, and by the end of the program, micro-businesses will be equipped to be local market sellers. 

Click HERE to apply and for more information. 

Behind every great show here in Northwest Arkansas there is a crew making it happen. The Music Education Initiative (MEI) in Northwest Arkansas is educating the next generation of professionals in the music and entertainment industry. 

• Train: Tonight at 6p, the second MEI workshop will be held at the Faulkner Performing Arts Center at the University of Arkansas. The workshop will give the basics on how to work well in the industry and provide education and training for local companies actively looking to hire. 
• Jump in: The MEI is an investment in NWA’s economic development, which aims to bring more individuals in the industry and more performances in the region.

Sign up for the workshop HERE.