Psychology

By Dennis Durband Psychology is the fourth-most popular major among American college students today. Why? Because it teaches us about ourselves. Psychology is a fascinating area of study. It helps you understand human behavior – how people think, act and feel. Psychology can help you become a better communicator, think more critically and be a better employee and manager in the...

Get started now on your future career at NPC

Northland Pioneer College is ready to help you get started on a path to a new career and new opportunities. With more than 70 associate degrees and certificate programs available, a new career is easy to attain. We’ll help you chart a course that’s right for you. The following list provides a snapshot of the programs NPC offers and national average incomes in their respective field. For more...

Yes, you can afford College!

NPC understands that college can be expensive, and that’s why we work so hard to keep costs low. A quality education does NOT have to mean higher costs.  Financial aid and scholarships are available. All students who wish to apply for financial assistance, including scholarships, must start by filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form online. Getting started is...

Finding her voice

Northland Pioneer College is a place where people can literally transform their lives. NPC helped former student Patty Singer overcome hardship and failure, and she is now within three years of completing her doctoral degree! Singer is currently the speech language pathologist at Indian Wells Elementary School (preschool-sixth grade), and on weekends, she provides speech therapy services at a...
posted in: Transfer
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‘The Girl’s Got Skills!’

Kylie Peck won’t finish her education at NPC until next spring, but her name is already etched among the school’s most memorable career and technical education students. Last summer, she became only the second student in NPC’s 44-year history to win a gold medal at Skills USA’s national competition! Competing against a field of state and U.S. territorial champions, Peck took first...
posted in: Cosmetology, Welding
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Keeping the Navajo language alive

Beginning in the 19th century, the U.S. government began forcing Native Americans to learn English. Since then, Native fluency in the ancestral languages has significantly declined. Congress has since reversed the old policy and is now encouraging the preservation of Native American languages. With a coverage area extending deep into the Navajo Nation, NPC has begun offering two classes in the...
posted in: Liberal Arts and Humanities
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Rx for success

Sarah Francisco Elmer is only 23 years old, already has a doctoral degree in pharmacy and is working today as a pharmacist! How did she do it so fast? She started her journey in higher education by enrolling in the NAVIT program as a 15-year-old high school student. Earning college credits as a dual enrollment student, she earned an associate of arts degree from NPC and her diploma from Round...
posted in: Pharmacy Technology
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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...
posted in: Automotive Technology
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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...
posted in: Welding
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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...
posted in: Construction and Architecture
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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...
posted in: Dual Enrollment
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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...
posted in: Teacher Education
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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...
posted in: Art and Design
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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.  [caption id="attachment_58" align="alignright" width="243"] The Apache Trout exists nowhere else in the world but in Arizona, generally above 8,000 feet....
posted in: Internship, Transfer
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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....
posted in: College News
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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...
posted in: Mechatronics
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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...
posted in: College News
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