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Division NewsLetter
Division NewsLetter
Innovation Connections is a monthly newsletter that features Instructional Innovation Division updates and college-wide innovation and collaboration. Contact Luann Crosby, Director of Library Services, if you wish to contribute to the content.
Message FROM THE DEAN
Message FROM THE DEAN
At our Fall 2025 Convocation, I had the privilege of presenting OER awards to our outstanding grant team, faculty, and staff who have dedicated themselves to the Open Textbooks for Rural Arizona project. Over the past four years, their commitment has expanded access to affordable learning by removing financial barriers for our students while strengthening academic freedom and collaboration...
meet our staff
meet our staff
Talan Story, SAS Assistant
Talan Story, SAS Assistant
Where are you from originally and/or currently?
I was born in Show Low, AZ but have been in Snowflake, Arizona my whole life.
What is your educational background?
I got my high school diploma in 2024. It was very nice and I decided that I want to continue my education at NPC and get my associates in business. By this time next year I hope to continue my education even further at one of the in-state universities.
What do you love doing the most in your work?
The thing I love most about doing work is helping people. There's a certain satisfaction about helping people that really makes you feel good.
If you were to take a course in something, what would it be?
As I said in my earlier question, I would take a business course because I really like anything business. If I had to pick a course other than business, however, I would pick art because I really like painting.
What are your favorite things to do/eat/read?
Some of my favorite things to do are paint, watch shows and travel. My favorite places to eat are fettuccine alfredo from the Olive Garden and Raising Canes. I don't read much, but if I had to pick a favorite book I would say Diary of A Wimpy Kid.
What goal are you dreaming about completing?
A goal in my life I want to complete is watch 3 major sports game finals, such as the World Cup, NBA finals, and Wrestlemania.
Instructional Technology and Curriculum Support
Instructional Technology and Curriculum Support
Read about upcoming ITCS Department events and eResources, Instructional Design news, a curriculum update, and NPC eResource Center updates in the September 2025 ITCS newsletter.
TEstinG cEnter
TEstinG cEnter
New Proctors
I am excited to introduce our newly hired proctors. Brandon McLaws has been an NPC employee who previously worked in the Tech Hub. He has already shown his talents and work experience in his new role. Shannon Hanen has also worked at NPC as an office assistant. Her experience makes her a perfect fit. These two additions will increase our ability to support students and staff greatly.
High Stakes and Academic exams
High-Stakes Tests are generally certification exams and must be proctored by certified proctors. Some examples are: GED, CompTIA, AZ Real Estate License, Teacher and Principal certification, Pharmacy Tech, CLEP, and EMT/Paramedicine. These exams are offered at one of two Pearson Vue testing centers in Show Low and Holbrook.
Academic Testing can be proctored by any NPC employee and include such exams as: internal/external exams, make up exams, food handlers permits, and can be proctored at any of our campuses. In addition to the Testing Manager, we are hiring part time proctors to support academic testing and to serve as back up for our high-stakes center proctors.
Scheduling Exams
High-Stakes testing must be scheduled at our testing centers through the exam provider such as GED, Prometric, or Pearson Vue.
Academic testing can be scheduled by emailing Tony Rhineheart at tony.rhineheart@npc.edu. Proctors will need to know the campus location, testing restrictions (such as whether or not calculators or notes can be used), and any accommodations the student requires. Testing materials may be emailed or sent via intercampus mail. Please also include instructions on how to manage completed exams/results.
Testing Fees
High Stakes Exams - Pearson Vue and Prometric exams are scheduled through Pearson Vue and Prometric and fees should be collected on the site when the tester registers for an exam.
Academic Exams - NPC students taking exams for NPC courses they are enrolled in are not charged a fee. The instructor will schedule the exam, or make up exam and a proctor will be provided.
Non-NPC Exams - For students who are enrolled in another college but request to take exams through NPC, a $25 fee will be collected.
CLEP Tests - Students attempting a CLEP test will be charged $25.
Tony Rhineheart, Testing Manager
LIBRARY SERVICES
LIBRARY SERVICES
The NPC Library had a very successful round of Discovery Nest activities over the summer. Families visited the Silver Creek Campus Library in Snowflake three times in June to create pop-up castle cards, double-flap cards with quilling, and magnetic banners. The September 2025 newsletter has photos of some of those who attended and their finished projects.
Join us for upcoming library events! Discuss whatever you are reading at the next Fantastic Books and Where to Find Them virtual meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 2pm.
STUDENT ACCOMMODATION SERVICES
STUDENT ACCOMMODATION SERVICES
Hello everyone and welcome back, I sure hope it was a productive and restful summer. Student Accommodation Services (SAS), formally The Office of Accessibility and Inclusion (OAI) was busy updating websites, fliers, documents and such to reflect the name change that happened on July 1, 2025. I hope you were all able to get the updated information to ensure that our students, faculty and staff are in the loop.
SAS hired a new office assistant over the summer. Talan Story started in June and has been making wonderful progress as he learns about the workings of the office and NPC. I am very excited to have him on our team and look forward to learning and growing right along with him over the next few months.
August has been a very busy month. SAS started in-person presentations on the 6th and just wrapped up the last one on Sept 2. During this time information was shared with a total of 335 students about SAS and how students who self-identify with a disability can get support while attending NPC. Of those 335 students, 37 (11%) requested follow up contact from SAS. While this number does not seem very large, it is the fact that information got to students who were unaware of the support provided by SAS and now they are empowered to advocate for their needs.
During September SAS looks forward to presentation requests from other departments to continue that same effort of getting the word out about SAS and how students can access support. I am also very excited about the opportunity to visit NPC locations that are new to me like Kayenta and Hopi, supporting the Native American Student Success Workshops. September also brings with it the chance to connect with new and returning students at they continue to reach out to SAS for support.
I want to thank all of you for the time you take with your students to share about SAS and how they can contact our office when they need support related to a disability.
ODds and Ends
ODds and Ends
Photo by William Warby on Pexels.
Whether you call it destiny or coincidence, there’s no denying that these chance encounters changed the world.
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