2021-2022 Innovation Award

February 2022

It is that time of the year for the Innovation Awards at Northland Pioneer College! The League for Innovation in Community Colleges is now accepting nominations for the 2021-2022 Innovation of the Year Award. This award is designed to recognize innovative programs, practices, partnerships, and activities that improve the ability of institutions to serve students and the community, and to honor the faculty, staff, and administrators who have created and implemented them. Each winning project individual or team member is recognized with a commemorative pin and certificate and will be included in the League Awards Program to be published in spring 2023. Recipients are also encouraged to submit a proposal to present at the League’s 2023 Innovations Conference.

As a member of League for Innovation in Community Colleges, the college participated in the 2020-2021 Innovation of the Year award last year. The Tech Hub initiative, led by Business faculty Rachel Arroyo-Townsend and Jennifer Bishop, was the recipient of the 2021 Innovation Award honor for NPC (see the award page). This year, we once again encourage nominations from all areas of the college including faculty, staff, and administrators.

NPC Innovation of the Year Award Information

As part of the League for Innovation in Community Colleges, this award honors employees who have created and implemented innovative programs, practices, partnerships, policies, and activities that improve the institution’s ability to serve students and the community.

Winning innovations should fall into one of the following categories:

Basic Skills and Developmental Education
Leadership and Organization
Learning and Teaching
Research, Assessment, and Accountability
Resource Development
Student Services and Activities
Workforce Preparation and Development

Winning innovations should meet one or more of the following criteria:

Quality. Students and/or staff agree that the innovation increases quality in the course, program, office, or institution. Evidence of quality may include student ratings or letters of support from colleagues.
Efficiency. There is evidence that the innovation contributes to a more efficient way of doing things. Student ratings, perceptions of outside consultants, and pre- and post-comparison of time involved are examples of evidence.
Cost Effectiveness. There is evidence that the innovation adds value to the institution while at the same time containing or reducing costs. Cost data will serve as evidence.
Replication. The innovation can be replicated at other institutions with a minimum of difficulty.
Creativity. The innovation should be original or the adaptation creative. The program description or letters from experts are examples of evidence.
Timeliness. The innovation should be no more than five years old at the institution, but must have been around long enough to have been tested so that it meets most of the criteria.
Other. Other ways that the innovation is worthy of this award.

How to Submit Nominations

An all-college announcement with more details and the steps to submit nominations will be sent in February. The deadline for nominations for the Innovation Award is Friday, March 11, 2022. A review panel consisting of NPC faculty, staff and administrators will review the nominations and select the final winner by the end of March 2022.

Wei Ma, PhD

Dean of Instructional Innovation