UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — David Mazyck, a three-time alumnus of the Penn State College of Engineering who served as head of the School of Engineering, Design and Innovation (SEDI) until this month, has been named the inaugural president of a new university focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The university, based in Bentonville, Arkansas, and located on the site of the former Walmart Home Office, is spearheaded by members of the Walton family, including Tom Walton and Steuart Walton, who said they aim to reimagine STEM education for the next generation of innovators, builders and entrepreneurs. The university, which has yet to be named, plans to enroll its first class of students in 2029. Mazyck will oversee the planning and formation of the non-profit, business-infused university, which will embed artificial intelligence across its academic programs, teaching methods and institutional operations to help students create real-world value.
“The Penn State College of Engineering prides itself on teaching students not just math and science, but also the leadership skills needed to apply engineering to change the world. As such, we are proud to have one of our alumni and former head of SEDI tapped to lead a new university,” said Tonya L. Peeples, Harold and Inge Marcus Dean of the College of Engineering. “We congratulate David on this honor, and we are confident that the innovation, collaboration and experiential learning championed by the College of Engineering generally and David in particular will be an asset for this new higher-education institution.”
Mazyck provided leadership oversight for engineering programs across Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses and served as a special adviser to the University on strategic planning, capital fundraising, budget reform and research commercialization. This year, Mazyck received the Penn State Fox Graduate School Lifetime Achievement Award. The award recognizes graduate school alumni who have achieved exceptional success in their profession and have demonstrated loyalty to the University and the Penn State Alumni Association.
“We set out to find a leader capable of turning an ambitious vision into a world-class institution,” Steuart Walton said. “Dr. Mazyck brings the imagination, intellectual rigor and builder’s instinct to create something genuinely new in higher education. He has consistently challenged conventional models and is uniquely qualified to lead our efforts to design programs that equip students to solve complex problems, lead with confidence and build what comes next in an AI-driven world. His arrival marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter, and we’re eager to get started.”
Mazyck earned his bachelor of science in civil engineering in 1995 and his master of science and doctorate in environmental engineering in 1996 and in 2000, respectively, all from Penn State. Prior to attending Penn State, Mazyck served as a technical drafting specialist in the 81st Engineer Battalion, Bravo Company, of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
After earning his doctorate, Mazyck joined the University of Florida and spent 22 years rising through the ranks to full professor and director of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering Electronic Delivery of Gator Engineering, University of Florida’s online engineering program for master’s degrees, certificates and professional courses, before joining Penn State.
“I am deeply grateful to the Walton family for the opportunity to build something truly new from the ground up. This STEM-focused university is being designed with an entrepreneurial mindset and a clear sense of urgency, purpose-built to deliver exceptional value for students, employers and the region,” Mazyck said. “We are creating an environment where learning and execution are inseparable, where industry is embedded as a partner and where students graduate not just prepared, but confident in their ability to build, lead and solve real problems from day one.”