Innovation of the Year

September 2024

At the fall convocation, I had the privilege of recognizing an exceptional team of faculty and administrators, the recipients of the 2023-2024 Innovation of the Year Award. As many of you know, NPC is a member of the League for Innovation in the Community College, a national organization that champions forward-thinking and creative initiatives in higher education. Each year, the League honors individuals or groups at member colleges whose innovative work makes a meaningful impact. This year, NPC’s award goes to the team behind the Nursing Assistant Integrated Education and Training (IET-NAT) Project.

The IET-NAT project was designed to accelerate success for students with lower academic skills, offering a fast track to living-wage careers in healthcare. Students begin with an eight-week pre-session CCP course to build essential skills and then proceed to a one-semester Workforce Skills course, which runs concurrently with the Nurse Assistant Training (NAT) program. This innovative model delivers robust academic support alongside advanced employment skills, enabling students to complete their Nursing certificate in less time, preparing them for rewarding careers. About 50 students have already benefited from this initiative during the spring and summer of 2024, and we are thrilled to see increased enrollment in our NAT program this fall. This project is an excellent example of how we can remove barriers to student success and create real, lasting impact in our community.

Innovation is at the heart of NPC’s vision, which is to “transform lives by advancing student success and socio-economic well-being through a spirit of innovation, partnership, and creative problem-solving.” According to the HLC Trends 2024 Report, as teaching, learning, and enrollment evolve, new models continue to emerge for sustainability and innovation in higher education.

As an academic support division, Instructional Innovation is committed to fostering a diverse, lifelong learning community that embraces creativity, collaboration, and inclusivity throughout the educational process. Our mission is to champion innovative teaching and learning practices, strengthen internal and external partnerships, and create a learner-centered environment that increases access for all students. If you have innovative ideas related to teaching, learning, and educational partnerships, we encourage you to connect with our team.

Thank you for taking the time to read our September newsletter. Stay tuned for more exciting updates!

Wei Ma, PhD
Dean of Instructional Innovation
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