Latest news with #NWACC
Axios
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Arkansas colleges united on workforce goals
Leaders from three of Arkansas' top higher education institutions agree: They serve the state, not just their respective turf. The big picture: University of Central Arkansas President Houston Davis, NorthWest Arkansas Community College President Dennis Rittle and University of Arkansas Chancellor Charles Robinson gathered Wednesday to talk about their schools' role in workforce development. Combined, nearly 53,000 Arkansas students are enrolled at the institutions. The gathering was hosted by the Northwest Arkansas Council, as part of UCA's Northwest Arkansas Blitz, an awareness campaign running through Thursday. Catch up quick: Amid good-natured, semi-competitive ribbing, the three fielded questions from Roby Brock, editor-in-chief and host of Talk Business & Politics. They discussed the new Arkansas ACCESS law, tuition costs and meeting the future needs of the workforce. What they're saying: On tuition —"A student with an NWACC certificate or degree will get 20% return on their investment every year for the rest of their life," Rittle said. It's the job of NWACC administrators to show students the college values their scarce resources and delivers a value greater than their time and money spent, he said. Robinson said controlling tuition costs comes down to efficient use of resources by the school and raising tuition isn't an easy decision. On Arkansas ACCESS — A lot of the act is about the connections between K -12 and post secondary education, which will help UCA do more outreach with feeder schools, Davis said. The legislation also highlights the potential for non-degree studies like UCA's aviation academy and cyber security certificates, he said. On the law's forbidding indoctrination, and diversity, equity and inclusion:"I didn't see the challenge in ACCESS, because academic freedom was not injured … the act doesn't prevent us from teaching what we need to teach," Robinson said. The bottom line:"The idea is serving the state of Arkansas, and we serve the state of Arkansas better when we work together," he said.
Axios
15-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
NWACC's master plan includes housing, classrooms and sports facilities
Northwest Arkansas's flagship community college wants to add amenities and classroom space — multiplying its indoor space by six — over the next 25 years. 📈 Why it matters: NorthWest Arkansas Community College expects its student body to grow from about 9,000 to 20,000 by 2045, President Dennis Rittle told Axios. And with 95% of its graduates staying in the region, the school plays a major role in filling critical jobs across NWA. 🧑⚕️ Zoom in: A new plan would allow NWACC's registered nursing program to increase by at least 50% as NWA's health care industry skyrockets, Rittle said. The existing program has 200-240 students. Most of the new learning spaces would be for the "adaptive workforce." "As the needs of the workforce change in the region, all the spaces will continue to adapt," Rittle said, noting the college is seeing increased interest in robotics, AI and data sciences. ⚽️ The intrigue: Plans show increased athletics, recreational and arts offerings, including a black box theater that can host performances, sports facilities and a wellness center with exercise equipment and an Olympic-size pool. Planned indoor and outdoor sports facilities would, at minimum, allow the college to handle cross country, track and field, basketball, volleyball, soccer and wrestling. Background: NWACC in recent years began its first intercollegiate sports teams — men's and women's teams in cross country and track and field — and hired its first full-time athletic director in 2023. Men's and women's soccer teams are coming next year. Other planned additions include: 🏠 Housing for up to 3,000 residents. 🧒 A daycare for students' and employees' children. 🍽 Dining and retail. 🅿️ Parking garages and repurposed parking lots. 🚲 Biking and walking trails throughout the campus. 📍 A commons building with a ballroom. 💰 By the numbers: A rough estimate of the entire wishlist is $1.5 billion, NWACC spokesperson April Wallace told Axios, noting the cost is subject to change because many details aren't solidified. The plan is to build over several years. Rittle said the school's amount of climate-controlled space would increase from 500,000 square feet to 3 million square feet. The capacity would increase from 12,000 to 30,000 students. 🤲 How it works: The hope is for philanthropy and grants to largely cover construction costs, Rittle said. There is no plan to increase tuition or ask for tax increases to pay for the projects, although more students naturally mean more tuition dollars to pay for continuing costs like more faculty and staff. NWACC already owns the land surrounding its existing Bentonville campus, around 130 acres. The Walton Family Foundation gave NWACC a $640,000 grant to support the master planning process, including assessing current facilities and design, Kathryn Heller with the foundation confirmed to Axios.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
NWACC students can now transfer easily to Missouri Southern State University
JOPLIN, Mo. — A ceremony in northwest Arkansas seals the deal to allow certain students to easily transfer to Missouri Southern State University. MSSU President Dr. Dean Van Galen shook hands with Dr. Dennis C. Rittle, president of Northwest Arkansas Community College, to make it official Monday. Students from NWACC in Bentonville will now be able to easily transfer their credits to Missouri Southern in Joplin after earning their associate's degree. NWACC students can now transfer easily to Missouri Southern State University 'Missouri Southern State Shoot-Out' brings young archers from four states for big prizes Missouri Southern launches Emergency Grant to aid students in crisis Dr. Van Galen calls it a 'clear and affordable pathway' for those students to further their education and earn their bachelor's degree at MSSU. Dr. Rittle had this to say: 'In this agreement it allows for a lot of seamless transfers so the college credits– nothing gets lost. it's a smooth transition and in many cases there are scholarships attached so the generosity of missouri southern has allowed for additonal incentives financial for the students,' said Dr. Rittle. Missouri Southern developed eight 'two plus two' (2+2) transfer pathways in collaboration with NWACC, meaning students can spend two years completing an associate's degree, then two more years to complete a bachelor's. Those areas of study include biology, business, and healthcare administration, just to name a few. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
