NPC leadership team organizes resource fair, food pantry

Members of one of two new leadership teams at National Park College will hold an event this week to connect students and members of the community with resources available on campus and in the area.

The blue team of the inaugural class of the college’s Leadership Academy plans to coordinate the NPC Cares Campus and Community Resource Fair from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday on the campus quad between the library and Laboratory Science Building. The fair is open to the public.

“We really want people from the community to come out, just find out what the college offers, find out what the community organizations offer and see what is out there,” said Amy Watson, human resources program representative and a member of the blue leadership team.

The college will provide free food, games, musical entertainment and prizes, including items donated by the NPC bookstore. Attendees will be able to visit with campus and community representatives to learn about medical services, resume and career preparation, transportation and assis-

tance with services such as child care, food and utilities.

Participating community organizations include Head Start Community Service Office, Hot Springs Housing Authority, SAILS, United Way of the Ouachitas, Jackson House, The Salvation Army, Department of Human Services, Cooperative Christian Ministries, AIDS Clinic, Hot Springs Family YMCA, Webb Community Center, Lion’s Club, Community Coffee, First Step, Hot Springs Child Care, Ouachita Children’s Center, Express Employment, Staffmark, Nearly New, Habitat for Humanity and MedExpress.

Campus organizations will include the Academic Success Center, Admissions, Adult Education, Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Career Pathways, Career Services, Child Care Aware, Financial Aid, Health Services, Mental Health Services, Mentor Program, Student Government Association, TRiO and Veterans Services.

“The majority of our students work while completing their degree and it is difficult to make ends meet while juggling all of the responsibilities of family life,” Watson said. “Our hope is that this event will help our students understand the enormous amount of resources and support our community has available to help them succeed.”

Other members of the blue team are LaTaschya Barnett, director and community outreach coordinator for Career Pathways at the college; Eric Boardway, systems analyst; and Bill Ritter, director of Adult Education.

“We thought it would be good to set up a resource fair so we could connect all of the resources in the community with the students,” Watson said. “We also wanted to invite the community to come out if they were interested in going to school, but don’t think they can afford it or they have the time because they have to work. We wanted them to see all these resources in place that can make that possible.”

The team has also organized a food pantry on campus to assist students and others in the campus community. The food pantry accepts donations in two ways.

Financial donations can be made to the NPC Cares account with the NPC Foundation. Donations are used to distribute vouchers for the purchase of approved food items at local grocery stores.

Food donations can be dropped off at several locations, including the Adult Education building; the office of Chuck Burke, chair of the Health Sciences Division, in the Frederick M. Dierks Center for Nursing and Health Sciences; with Barry Ballard, workforce specialist, in the workforce building; or in Watson’s office on the third floor of the Gerald Fisher Campus Center. Information can be provided by any member of the blue team, which also makes up the NPC Cares team.

The fifth member is Yolanda Mitchell, director of the National Park University initiative, who is also a member of the gray leadership team. The other members of the gray team are Latisa Beason, agency procurement official; Nathan Looper, VA coordinator/recruiter; Tamara St. Marthe, faculty speech communications; and Diane Meredith, Talent Search director.

The Leadership Academy is a yearlong leadership development program for administrators, faculty and staff to prepare themselves for future management opportunities. Activities include a two-day retreat and events throughout the year.

Programs are planned to expose the team members to aspects of policy and governance, administration and finance, teaching and learning, student services and development, leadership for change and the foundations of leadership. Both teams were required to organize service projects.

“The Leadership Academy has really helped me,” Watson said. “I have done so many things in the past few months that I would have never done. I am really enjoying it.”

The gray team coordinated a college simulation day for high school students in the Health Science Technology Education program at National Park Technology Center. Instructors led hands-on interactive learning stations and students completed rotations to learn about various health science disciplines.