Welcome to Northland Pioneer College

Welcome to the latest edition of Northland Pioneer College’s CareerFocus magazine – sharing student success stories and articles about the programs and learning opportunities that are transforming the lives of area residents. NPC asks industry leaders to serve on advisory boards for each of our Career and Technical Education programs to ensure we are training our students to have the...
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High-Tech Manufacturing is making a comeback in the U.S., but today’s jobs require education and training to deal with computer-directed machinery

Students earning an associate degree in the new Energy and Industrial Technician (EIT) program at NPC will find a diverse array of employers seeking people with their well-rounded skill sets. A combination of the previously separate Mechatronics and Industrial Maintenance and Operations (IMO) programs, EIT pre-pares students to become technicians, operators and maintenance workers who understand...
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A vested interest in students

This summer, Mark Vest became the eighth president of Northland Pioneer College, succeeding Dr. Jeanne Swarthout, who retired June 30. A few weeks later, in August at NPC’s summer convocation, Vest received a standing ovation from faculty and staff who have worked alongside him for the last 17 years making quality, affordable college education available to the citizens of Northeastern Arizona....
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School of fish: A summer internship helps preserve the Apache Trout

NPC graduate Majerle (MAR-lee) Lupe can tell fish stories with the best of them. This summer, she interned with Arizona Fish and Wildlife Conservation to help expand the range of the once-endangered Apache Trout, Arizona’s state fish.  One of only two species of trout native to Arizona, by 1960, the Apache’s range had decreased from 600 miles of White Mountains streams to just 30...

Career inspiration

NPC boasts a vibrant art program that appeals to people of all ages, interests and educational goals. The classrooms are churning out impressive works by younger, middle-aged and senior students either pursuing careers in art or merely developing their creative talent. Jessica Penrod is a former NPC art student who transferred to a university, earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and is now...
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WANTED: Teachers

A May 2017 report by the Morrison Institute for Public Policy at Arizona State University, found that 42 percent of Arizona teachers hired in 2013 left the profession within three years! This has contributed to a critical teacher shortage in Arizona and affects rural, low-income areas the hardest. Arizona Governor Doug Ducey called on the three state universities in 2017 to focus on increasing the...

Transforming lives

Starting in the fall of 2016, NPC received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to bring higher education courses to high school students in the remote, rural areas of Northeast Arizona. Without this opportunity, a college education would be beyond the geographical and financial reach of many of these students. This year 14 schools are participating in Project TALON, which stands for...

Going the distance

NPC instructors really go the extra mile for their students. Especially Steve Mills! He’s among the best of the best master’s (age 40 and up) distance runners in America. He also goes to great distances for his students, who receive the same enduring dedication and effort from him in the classroom. A former cross-country runner at Colorado State University, Mills teaches construction...

Community partnerships: Students use their skills to help local organizations

Part of NPC’s mission is to be an active and helpful contributor in the communities we serve. NPC’s Welding Department helped further that goal by working with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Vernon Fire District (VFD) earlier this year to complete important community service projects. The quality work produced by the student welders, under the direction of NPC instructors Frank...
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Loving his job

When Cody Bender was 13, he started helping his father restore a Jeep. It turned out to be a fun father-son project, and through that experience, he developed an interest in automotive technology. Growing up in Show Low, he was in the right place to get great training through NPC’s Automotive Technology program. Bender enrolled in 2014 as a home school junior through the NAVIT...