BENTONVILLE -- Officials of two Northwest Arkansas educational institutions came together Wednesday to reaffirm a relationship they say provides more opportunities for students.
An agreement between Northwest Technical Institute and Northwest Arkansas Community College, originally signed in 2012, allows students to apply up to 30 credit hours earned in career and technical areas at the institute toward an associate's degree at the college. Students participating in the program are eligible for a degree in general studies from the college.
The 2012 agreement was effective for two years. Both sides wanted to have current signatures on a new articulation agreement, said Steven Hinds, college director of public relations and marketing.
Both institutions also have seen leadership changes since the first agreement took effect. Evelyn Jorgenson became the college's president in 2013 and Blake Robertson became the institute's president in 2014.
"This is an opportunity for us to showcase what we're doing in a collaborative way with other institutions," Jorgenson said. "We're signing a memorandum of understanding to make clear we have a lot of students we work together on."
The college serves more than 8,000 students taking for-credit courses at its main campus in Bentonville and a few satellite campuses. The college has bought land in Springdale on which it intends to build its first permanent facility in Washington County.
Northwest Technical Institute, located in Springdale, serves about 625 high school and post-secondary students per year with career and technical classes, Robertson said. It offers several career-path programs, ranging from welding to surgical technology. Most of those programs can be completed in 10 months.
Nine of the institute's programs have been approved for transfer to the college. Additional programs may be approved for articulation in the future.
"It's good for the students because then they know what they are doing (at the institute) will count toward their two-year degree," Robertson said.
In the past, Robertson said, educators have seen career and technical education as a path separate from college. The agreement between the institute and the college is a statement the two schools share one path. The community college's articulation agreement with four-year universities is an extension of that notion, he said.
"I think Arkansas has come to realize we're all in this together," Robertson said.
The articulation agreement also represents harmony between the institute and college in that one won't try to duplicate the other's efforts, Robertson said.
The number of institute graduates who go on to attend community college is fairly small, Robertson said.
"Most are wanting to go out and get jobs," he said.
NW News on 05/07/2015