Many options for many different types of students
by Richard Heath, Executive Director, NAU Prescott Valley Campus
I am excited to be a contributing writer for the Prescott LIVING Magazine on behalf of Northern Arizona University. It is a pleasure to highlight what the university’s campus in Prescott Valley has to offer, in terms of the educational opportunities as well as the positive impact it is making on the greater Prescott region. In upcoming editions of the magazine, I will not only profile the programs available on the Prescott Valley campus, but possibly even more importantly, the students and faculty who have created such a special learning environment.
With its May 2017 graduating class, NAU’s campus in Prescott Valley now boasts nearly 200 alumni. The most recent 30 graduates exemplify the campus mission of serving the more nontraditional student. Each graduate has his or her own unique story and reasons for earning their bachelor’s degree. In addition to traditional freshmen, many of our students are older, have families and extensive work experience, have owned businesses or served in the military. Students at this campus range in age from 18 to 62, with a median age of 27, and all of them successfully apply their age and life experiences into their academic responsibilities.
The campus opened in 2010 through a partnership between NAU, Yavapai College, and the Town of Prescott Valley. The university and college often share instructors and resources to ensure that there is consistency in the availability and quality of each class. Although many of our students have never attended a community college, the partnership with Yavapai College enables students to enroll in a 2+2 degree program or dual enroll between the two intuitions. This format, combined with flexible class scheduling, enables students to take a more accelerated course load at a lower cost than any other university in the state. Because classes are available online or in a blended format, students are still able to work and handle family commitments thus enabling them to remain on track to graduate on time.
Then campus director, Dr. Susan Johnstad, laid the foundation for the Prescott Valley campus by creating four interdisciplinary degrees specifically addressing current needs and projected job growth in the area: applied human behavior; community development and sustainability; entrepreneurship; and service management and leadership. To manage and deliver these four degrees, she hired knowledgeable and dedicated facility who, themselves, brought several decades of work experience with them to the campus. The success of these degrees is proven in campus alumni who are now working in local companies and organizations, pursuing a higher degree, or starting their own businesses.
People often ask me what the long-term plans are for the campus. My response is that NAU is committed to serving the greater Prescott region today and for many years to come. The university views itself as a catalyst for regional economic development. There are plans in the works for a larger, more expansive campus that offers additional degrees based on the needs of local public and private employers. In addition, NAU is working on building stronger relationships with our community, the private sector and higher education partners. We are collectively working toward the goal of creating a diversified, sustainable and growing regional economy. Institutions of higher education are an important component in that formula, and NAU will continue to provide leading-edge degrees to educate the 21st century workforce.
