Historical Sketch of the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith

The Southwest Times Record published an interesting historical sketch of what is now the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, founded in 1928 at Fort Smith Junior College. The article, "We Are the River Valley: University of Arkansas at Fort Smith," includes comments of Billy Higgins, associate professor of history at UAFS and draws from a history of the institution, The First 85 Years: 1928-2012, co-written by Higgins, Stephen Husarik and Henry Rinne.

Fort Smith Junior College became Westark Junior College in 1966. The name then changed to Westark Community College in 1972 and to Westark College in 1998.  The institution was absorbed by University of Arkansas system and known as University of Arkansas - Fort Smith after 2002.