President’s Message

Northland Pioneer College Community colleges play a vital role in training America’s workforce. That is why Northland Pioneer College offers direct-to-work career training in 17 areas of study, with 52 areas of specialization. However, some careers require additional levels of education — a bachelor’s or higher degree. That’s why NPC also offers general education courses that make up the...
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Psychology

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 workplace. An added bonus for...
posted in: Careers, Education
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7 Easy Steps to Enroll at NPC

YES, YOU CAN AFFORD COLLEGE! 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 easy; just watch the student guide video for step-by-step instructions at www.finaid.ucsb.edu/FAFSASimplification. Don’t have access...
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NPC Career Guide

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...
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Welded to Success

Like many teenagers who don’t yet realize their potential, Gavin McInelly (pictured above) was succeeding in high school but was not fully applying himself. However, when his grandmother died two years ago, everything changed. She had always made it a point to encourage her grandchildren, and then she was gone. Inspired by her loss, McInelly resolved to work harder and achieve more.  “My...
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Understanding History

A report by USA Today indicates the study of history is one of the top 10 college majors in the United States. The American Historical Association says students of history are employable in a wide range of occupations, including careers in teaching, media, business, public administration, museums, law and more. “We can better understand human beings when we understand our history,” says NPC...
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NPC Maverick

Each year, many students transfer from NPC to a university to seek a four-year degree and career success. Amie Rodgers transferred from NPC to Northern Arizona University (NAU) in 2005 and went on to enjoy a highly successful career as a journalist in the White Mountains. Rodgers earned her bachelor’s degree in public agency service at NAU, along with magna cum laude honors. For more than a...
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Building Tiny Homes

Tiny houses, those between 80 and 400 square feet in size, are growing in popularity world-wide. Whether on solid foundations or on wheels, more people are choosing these dwellings for their affordability and ecological friendliness. Students in NPC’s Integrated Basic Education Skills Training and Construction classes in Holbrook and Whiteriver have been learning how to frame tiny houses. The...
posted in: Education, News & Notes
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Studying Political Science

Leaving no stone unturned, Lauren Burson (pictured above) is pouring the absolute max into her college education as she prepares for a career in politics and government. As a political science  intern, Burson’s efforts helped a candidate get elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. “I thrive when under pressure,” Burson says. “If I am going to do something, I am going to do it...
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So Much More Than Maps

When you walk into Professor Andrew Hassard’s geography class, you will encounter a lively and passionate teacher. You will be challenged to write well and make progress, from the beginning of the semester to the end. You will learn to think and evaluate subject matter. He makes geography about more than just maps and places. Students rate Hassard highly, and he is a sought-after NPC...
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AZ Transfer

Yes, NPC courses do transfer. There is a misconception that NPC credits won’t transfer to Arizona’s three state universities. That simply isn’t true. Addressing a charge from the Arizona Legislature, the state’s universities, community colleges and Board of Regents developed the Arizona Transfer System to ensure students can seamlessly transfer between the state’s community colleges and...
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NPC Students Enhance Local Communities

Waiting for the Four Seasons transit bus at three pickup locations is now more comfortable thanks to a community partnership between Northland Pioneer College welding students and the City of Show Low. With ridership topping 180,000 per year on the transit system, officials recognized the need for more shelters at bus stops. “When no local businesses were able to fabricate the shelters, city...
posted in: Education, News & Notes, Student Life
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Geology Rocks!

“Cheater!” That’s what geologists in other states jokingly call NPC Geology Professor Randy Porch (pictured above). They’re envious of Porch and other geology instructors in the Grand Canyon State who have so many wonderful geologic features to study in their own back yard. Since he joined the NPC faculty some 20 years ago, countless students in the Introduction to Geology 101 and 102...
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Free Tuition at an Arizona State University?

Every year, for the past 21 years, the Arizona Board of Regents award a little-known scholarship only to community college students selected as members of the All-Arizona Academic Team. Each Arizona community college is allowed to select two students from each campus/center location, which means up to 18 Northland Pioneer College students can receive this scholarship! Students who complete their...
posted in: Financial Aid, News & Notes, Success Stories
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Healthy Partnership

Haven Health operates two skilled nursing facilities, one in Show Low and the other in Lakeside, that offer inpatient rehabilitation services as well as long- term patient care. Recently, both locations realized they had to add staff more quickly to meet their growing demand for services. That’s when they decided to contact NPC’s nursing program to see if it could help. [caption...
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The Hassard of Disc Golf

You don’t have to tune your flatscreen to the Masters, Pebble Beach or to any other big-time golf tournaments to see great golfers displaying their amazing skills right here in Northeastern Arizona. What? Phil Mickelson and other top golfers in the world playing locally? Actually, no. But some of the nation’s finest disc golfers are playing right here in our midst. One of them is the...
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Discovering Dinosaurs

New Course Combines Paleontology, Geology and Biology Northland Pioneer College will become the first community college in Arizona to offer an undergraduate paleontology course about dinosaurs in the fall of 2017! NPC Biology Professor Dr. David Smith and his colleague, paleontologist Doug Wolfe, will team-teach the new geology course (GLG 202, Dinosaurs) focusing on the ecology, physiology...
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Focused on Student Success

Every college in America is focused like a laser beam on ensuring students return semester after semester and complete their educational goals successfully. The survival of small colleges like NPC in particular depend on connecting with students and keeping them engaged and moving forward. That’s why in the Spring 2017 semester, NPC launched a new program designed to improve student retention...
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Learning to Think Outside the Box

In today’s job market, employers are looking for workers who not only have a specific skill set but also can “think outside the box.” That’s where a broad based liberal arts education comes in. A liberal arts education consists of college studies that provide general knowledge and develop intellectual ability, such as literature; philosophy; mathematics; social and behavioral science; and...
posted in: Economy, News & Notes
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You’re Never Too Old To Learn

College isn’t just for students in their teens and early 20s. Lifelong learning opportunities are available at NPC, and many area people in their 50s, 60s and 70s are enhancing their knowledge and skills in college today. In fact, you’re never too old to learn. One of those older students is David Peelman, age 62. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard for 24 years and has considerable military...
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