Commons building reflects success
Friday’s stormy weather did not dampen the excitement at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Student Commons Building at National Park College.
The ceremony, which was moved indoors to the atrium of the Frederick M. Dierks Center for Nursing and Health Sciences, celebrated student success, reflected through both the new building and the campus master plan.
“It is great to be on the campus of National Park College,” Gov. Asa Hutchinson said. “I really enjoyed hearing about all that’s happening here, and as I reflected
on your presentation and what’s happening here at National Park College, I’m reminded that you’re doing everything that we need to be done in Arkansas for two-year colleges.”
Hutchinson said NPC is the fourth-largest community college in Arkansas, something he is excited to see because of the institution’s investments in student success.
John Hogan, NPC president, shared an anecdote with the community members, faculty, staff and students on hand that reflects the heart NPC has for student success.
“My ninth-grade basketball coach, while I was sitting in my usual seat on the bench next to him looks at me and he says ‘Tommy’ — Tommy is my brother’s name; coach never knew my name — ‘Tommy, you can’t measure heart,’” he said. “So as I’m sitting on the bench, I have a lot of time to reflect on different things, and try to make sense of what he had been saying, of course, what he meant, in my opinion, is you can’t measure grit, or perspiration, or determination or competitive spirit. It’s just something that you either have, or you don’t. And that was kind of his message.
“I’ve come to learn since I’ve landed here that you can measure heart. You can measure grit and determination. There are different ways to do that.”
Hogan said when he refers to NPC or its students, he means everyone who supports the institution to make students successful.
“All of the community support that we get, all the legislative support that we get. The support that we get from the governor and all the work that the faculty, staff and the students do. … I learned that’s part of our culture at National Park College, and we’re very proud of that,” he said. “And that culture translates to us into a culture of student success, so I think of it this way.
“Our students’ dreams are our dreams. What we have to do, what obstacles we have to move, what support we have to provide, the classes we have to teach, what legislation we have to pass it’s focused on those dreams. Our students’ dreams are our dreams.”
There are some metrics now in Arkansas, Hogan said, in the form of an outcomes-based funding model.
“What that means is the state of Arkansas, the general assembly, our board — we all agree that it’s better for Arkansas to have more folks with college degrees, more education, more earning, we all pay more taxes, our quality of life is better. Not just you and I have degrees, or our kids, but everyone,” he said. “The more we have, the better off we are. So the idea is to incentivize that and have as many of those opportunities as possible. So we have metrics and a score.
“One of those metrics as it relates to the college is administrative overhead. We want our investments to be in our faculty and in student affairs and services that touch students directly because that means they’re more likely to persist and they’re more likely to succeed and graduate, and meet that equation better.”
Hutchinson said Arkansas is “more concerned about those that graduate, that get their certificate, that progress in terms of education,” and that student success is ultimately what the outcomes-based funding model looks to reward financially.
“In my heart, it’s good also to hear you talk about cutting administrative expenses, focusing on the students. You’re doing everything that I think is important.”
The Student Commons Building is a “monument to that heart of student success,” Hogan said. The project will include a new entrance from Mountain Pine Road and will house a new bookstore, food services, coffee shop, and other amenities he said are important to the students of NPC. Common areas, classrooms and offices for student support staff will be housed in this building as well.
Additional aspects of Phase One of the campus master plan include a new marine technology building and renovation of the Gerald Fisher Campus Center, which will convert the building into classroom spaces. The Innovative Technologies Center and the Hospitality and Tourism Program will relocate to the first floor of the building.
Dennis Smith, president of the Oaklawn Foundation board, presented a grant of $400,000 to invest in NPC’s Hospitality and Tourism Program for the renovation of the facility that will house the program.
Hutchinson said tourism is the second-largest industry in the state behind agriculture, “and the center point of tourism for Arkansas is of course right here in Hot Springs. I love to see that investment in tourism.”
He said CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs’ partnership with NPC and Henderson State University to increase the nursing workforce and enrich the nursing programs offered is an important investment in the state.
“Wherever you look at the fact that you are emphasizing a health care industry that’s so important to our state,” Hutchinson said. “If we can’t get our health right, we’re not going to have our state right. We’re not going to have our future right. This community has invested in health care and a partnership with a two-year college is essential.”
Hutchinson recently visited the governor of Iowa to discuss Arkansas’ leading role in the country when it comes to computer science and coding education.
“When you look at your investment in technology, to be offering computer science instruction and degrees, this is critical,” he said. “We mandate that computer science or coding is offered in every high school, we don’t mandate the students to take it. And so I market it. I sell them, I say ‘This is the future for you.’
“I just came back from Iowa. I was asked to go speak with Gov. Reynolds, she said ‘Come in here, tell us how Arkansas’ leading the nation in computer science education. We in Iowa can learn some things from you.’ That’s exciting to me. So National Park is investing in that.”
The governor commended the college for “making student success affordable” and participating in concurrent credit programs and the ARFuture scholarship program.
“What you are doing here is essential,” he said. “The role of two-year colleges in Arkansas is very important for our success. We want to increase the number of postsecondary credentials.”
Forrest Spicher, board of trustees chair, closed the ceremony by emphasizing the excitement building around NPC.
“National Park College is embracing change so that our students, our faculty, our staff, our leadership, and our broader community will be able to thrive and continue to be relevant. The Student Commons is more than just a building,” Spicher said. “It’s an investment in our community, much like the investment the Oaklawn Foundation has made in our college.”
Spicher said investments in NPC contribute to the educational attainment of Garland County’s students and citizens, adding that this and future investments “will provide an impactful return for our students and for the community.”