President’s Message

Philosopher Winnie the Pooh says, “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” For me, that “something” is the role I’ve enjoyed for the past 17 years guiding Northland Pioneer College’s mission of providing higher educational opportunities to the residents of Northeastern Arizona that truly transform lives and our communities. I frequently visit other...

CyberSecurity

“Behind every new hack or data breach, there’s a company scrambling to put out the fire. That’s good news for job seekers with cybersecurity skills. Every year in the U.S., 40,000 jobs for information security analysts go unfilled. Employers can’t hire them fast enough.” – Forbes Magazine The headlines on cybercrime are staggering. Three billion Yahoo records were accessed by...
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Karlene Begay

NPC students in the program are already helping local businesses stay safe by applying what they’ve learned in class. Cybersecurity education at NPC is just starting, but several IT profes-sionals and others who handle sensitive, private information in their workplaces are applying what they’ve already learned in class to their jobs. One of them is Karlene Begay, (pictured on the...

A Sterling Example

Cindy Stirling is in high demand for her services as a hairstylist and makeup artist in California. Based in San Diego, she serves a worldwide list of high-end clients who rave about her abilities. Stirling’s success is the result of a young girl in Lakeside who had a passion for cosmetology and got her start at Northland Pioneer College. [caption id="attachment_39" align="alignright"...
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The STEM Experience

When the NPC STEM Experience Van rolls up to area schools, it’s met with great curiosity from students. That wonderment soon turns into excitement as the students experience new ways of learning science, technology, engineering and mathematics or STEM. Some schools have STEM clubs, but for many, their introduction to it comes through a visit from the special van. A collaboration between NPC...
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Free Tuition at an Arizona State University? Yes, it starts at Northland Pioneer College

To encourage the state’s top community college scholars to finish their bachelor’s degree, the Arizona Board of Regents awards a little-known scholarship every year only to community college students selected as members of the All-Arizona Academic Team. Every Arizona com-munity college is allowed to select two students from each campus or center location, which means up to 18 North-land...
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Remembering a Colleague & Friend

NPC English professor Jennifer Witt started an informal book club where she would encourage her colleagues and students to read a book together, then share how the author influenced their thoughts and actions. When Witt passed away suddenly just before the start of the fall semester, her friends and colleagues decided to create a Little Free Library to perpetuate her love for books....

He’s A Music Man

Ryan Orr is not just an NPC academic adviser, he’s also a talented musician with a large local and international following. Orr’s mother and grandmother introduced him to a rich tradition of performing arts at an early age. His grandmother played saxophone and clarinet, and his mother, the late Dr. Teri Lynn Dismuke, was a country and folk singer. By age 7, Ryan was playing the violin and...

Job Ready Right Out Of High School

NPC can help you transform your life by getting you job ready for career success right out of high school. It did for journeymen welders Patricia Mangum Powell and Emerson Jackson.  Soon after learning welding at NPC through the Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT) program, they established their careers. Both are now making good incomes from employers who are...

Career Success

As a teen at Show Low High School, Brigitte Kennison’s interest in rodeo and horses inspired her to become a veterinarian. She was told that the Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT) program at NPC would be a good start toward achieving her dream. Though her goal has changed since then, she’s glad she followed that educational path. Kennison earned an associate degree...

Taking Advantage of Every Opportunity

NPC offers opportunities for people of all ages to expand their knowledge and transform their lives. You’re never too young or too old to pursue higher education. For high school students, dual enrollment presents a great opportunity to accelerate your education and ultimately your career. Ian Graham, formerly of Show Low, used the education, mentoring and work experience he gained at NPC as...

Nothing Holds Him Back

Rusty Williams (in photo, right) has a long and amazing history of perseverance in overcoming adversity. A strong supporter of life-long learning, Williams overcame debilitating injuries to achieve educational and career success. The former Northland Pioneer College science student was the recipient of the college’s Fall 2017 Outstanding Alumnus Award. At the age of 17, Williams was seriously...

Hamming It Up

In a time of incredible electronic sophistication, ham radio may have been forgotten by many people, but this form of communication is attracting attention at NPC. Ham radio has been around since the late 19th century, and this spring it became the college’s newest recognized club.  [caption id="attachment_93" align="alignleft" width="353"] (l to r) Alexis Butler, Bill Bender, Quintan...

A Head For Business

Amazon earned $95 million in online sales last year, and Wal-Mart tripled its online sales. These and many other companies are thriving because of sound marketing strategies that maximize use of the internet and social media, says Edgar Acosta, who earned an associate degree in business at NPC in 2017. He aims to employ the same smart strategies in his business career. Acosta earned the...

To Serve and Protect

When police officers arrived at the public library, the suspect had already stolen money and was in the process of stealing two computers. He ran out the back door, and a young police officer gave chase. Nearly a mile, four fences, a soccer field and a baseball field later, the suspect tripped, and the pursuing officer tackled him and arrested him.  Another day, the same officer responded...

Help For Your Career

College students and residents of Northeastern Arizona in the market for employment can significantly sharpen their job-hunting skills by consulting with NPC’s Career Services. John Spadaccini, (bottom right photo) the director of Career Services, is a trusted professional who will equip you with smart job search strategies, including how to write a winning résumé and cover letter, develop...

Discovery Nest

NPC Librarian Luann Crosby (far left, center) hosts a FREE drop-in craft activity from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m every Monday in June, for children at the Snowflake campus. All are welcome to participate but children must be accompanied by an adult over 18 at all times. Next events are scheduled for June 4, 11, 18 and 25. For more information contact Crosby at (928) 536-6220....

Dynamite Dinos!

If you’re fascinated by dinosaurs, you’ll definitely want to register for NPC’s Dinosaurs class (GLG 202) this fall. Biology professor David Smith (above) and his colleague, paleontologist Doug Wolfe, will bring fascinating experiences from the field to life in the classroom. You’ll have an opportunity to learn about their explorations of major dinosaur fossil sites in China, Mongolia,...

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

Don’t go into debt! Northland Pioneer College offers financial aid and scholarships as well as one of the lowest tuition rates in Arizona! NPC students benefit from: smaller class sizes and personalized instructor attention lower costs for the same general education credits four degrees guaranteed to transfer to any state university Enroll Today at NPC  ...