In 2008, a team of first-year Clinton School students worked with the Rural Heritage Development Initiative to research the development of a kitchen incubator to service culinary entrepreneurs in West Memphis, Arkansas. The team’s research included background on existing kitchen incubators and the communities they serve; construction and maintenance estimates; and recommendations on how to build community support.
This work was critical in laying the foundation for more detailed construction planning and appealing to government agencies for funding.
In June 2015, the $2.2 million 10,000-square-foot Delta Cuisine Commercial Kitchen and Business Incubator was opened as part of the Jeremy Jacobs Hospitality Management Center at Arkansas State University Mid-South.
The Delta Cuisine Kitchen and Business Incubator at ASU Mid-South provides food entrepreneurs and small businesses with a licensed facility to develop and expand their culinary enterprises, access new markets, and expand their offerings. It also provides essential staff resources, including professionals in the fields of food science and nutrition, small business technical assistance, and marketing, branding and promotion.
The Clinton School Impact Minute is a recurring segment with Little Rock Public Radio, highlighting the Clinton School’s field service impact in Arkansas.
Since 2004, Clinton School students have completed more than 600 field service projects with nearly 300 organizations in Arkansas alone, creating immediate and long-term impact for businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies across the state.
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