Get to Know Alice L. Walton School of Medicine’s Community Partners

At Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, students learn to serve their community both in and outside of the classroom. This dedication is woven into AWSOM’s values as Community Focus, representing the School’s dedication to giving back to the Heartland community and beyond.

“At AWSOM, we help our students develop into the physicians they want to be. Engaging in service-learning as part of the Integrated Principles of Medicine course, working with the community through student interest groups, and serving as individuals are important parts of that,” said James Hopper, Director, Outreach, “We’re happy to provide a variety of opportunities for our students to connect with the community, serve alongside its members, and promote health and well-being.”

AWSOM students start engaging with the community through Day of Service activities during their first week of school. During their 2025 Day of Service, AWSOM’s inaugural class:

• Painted nearly 2,000 square feet of educational space at the Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter

• Created 250 care packages for veterans in local hospitals, distributed by the American Red Cross of Arkansas

• Wrapped 6,800 diapers (enough for 136 children across the region) served by Family Network NWA

• Created 200 go-bags for survivors of domestic violence served by Freedom Finder

Community Engagement at AWSOM

Following orientation, community engagement opportunities continue through events planned by staff, student interest groups, and the Student Government Association. AWSOM also brings the community into the classroom as guest speakers and supporters of service-learning activities.

None of this work would be possible without AWSOM’s local community partners, a group of organizations making a difference in the region. These mission-aligned organizations have signed a community partner affiliation agreement with AWSOM outlining service opportunities they would like to partner on to offer AWSOM students, faculty, and staff. Some of these organizations have established ongoing service opportunities, and others are in the planning stages. AWSOM thanks each of these organizations for their partnership and looks forward to expanding this list in the future.

Alzheimer’s Arkansas

Alzheimer's Arkansas is a nonprofit offering free educational programming and resources, support groups, personalized support, and financial assistance to family caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer’s in Arkansas.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

The Arkansas Chapter of the AFSP was recently recognized with two awards for its work providing the Arkansas community with suicide prevention resources, support, programming, and fundraising.

American Red Cross of Arkansas

The American Red Cross of Arkansas provides comfort, care, and necessities to members of the community affected by disasters and emergencies, in addition to emergency preparedness training. Through blood donation drives, the American Red Cross of Arkansas provides nearly half of the region’s blood.

Boys & Girls Club of Benton County

Boys & Girls Club of Benton County has served youth in the region for over 30 years with a safe environment to learn, play, and connect with peers after school and during the summer. Benton County Children & Family Advocacy Center The Benton County CFAC supports children impacted by child abuse and trauma with acute services including case management, mental health support, and support supports.

Bentonville School District

The Bentonville School District is a comprehensive community school district serving K-12 students in Bentonville.

Family Network NWA

Since 1993, Family Network NWA has supported families in Northwest Arkansas with individualized parenting education and support. In 2024, Family Network distributed over 517 thousand diapers to families in need across 42 zip codes through their initiative The Diaper Collective.

Freedom Finder

Freedom Finder provides resources to help individuals and families find safety during a domestic violence crisis, including hotel rooms, short-term storage, prepaid phones, and pet fostering.

Museum of Native American History

The Museum of Native American History is located in downtown Bentonville and houses a gallery of more than 10 thousand Indigenous artworks, tools, and artifacts. MONAH also provides educational resources, programming, and cultural celebrations.

NWA Center for Sexual Assault

The NWA Center for Sexual Assault supports survivors of sexual assault and violence through a 24-hour crisis hotline, forensic exams, counseling, workshops, and more.

Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter

The Northwest Arkansas Children’s Shelter is an emergency shelter with an on-site school and foster care service supporting children healing from abandonment, abuse, and neglect.

Northwest Arkansas Food Bank

The Northwest Arkansas Food Bank collects, purchases, and distributes nutritious food to food insecure Arkansans through SNAP Outreach services, food pantry partners, and a Mobile Pantry and School Pantry program.

Northwest Arkansas Head Start

Northwest Arkansas Head Start is a high-quality, nonprofit education program promoting school readiness for low-income families.

Samaritan Community Center

Samaritan Community Center fights food insecurity through a variety of initiatives including the free Samaritan Café and Market. The nutritious food in the Café and Market is sourced from Samaritan Farm, which produces 27 thousand pounds of produce annually. Additionally, Samaritan Community Center offers a restorative dental program, school supplies, individual advocacy, and counseling.

Scott Family Amazeum

Scott Family Amazeum is a 50,000-square-foot hub for creativity and discovery located near AWSOM on J Street. The Amazeum’s interactive exhibits engage children in science, engineering, and other STEAM concepts.

SOAR Afterschool

Soar Afterschool provides a safe place for students to learn, connect with peers, and practice skills for future success.

Getting Involved

If your organization is interested in partnering with AWSOM for volunteer opportunities, contact outreach@alwmed.org for more information.