AWC, NAU-Yuma partnership in unique position to help Yuma
Higher education in Yuma is now more accessible than previously owing to the unique partnership between Arizona Western College and Northern Arizona University-Yuma, according to university officials.
And thanks to AWC President Don Schoening, collaboration between the schools is growing every day, Larry Gould, NAU-Yuma, campus executive officer said.
At a breakfast meeting in the Hampton Inn Friday including education, civic and business leaders such as Yuma County Superintendent Tom Tyree and City Administrator Mark Watson, Gould stressed the need to inform the community of post-secondary education opportunities.
"A lot of people don't know NAU is here, but that's going to change and we've shown our commitment to higher education by adding to our staff - Llewellyn Young, our first associate dean and associate director of admissions, Eileen Knight," Gould said.
"We're here this morning not to ask you to open your wallet but asking you if you see a potential student, remember us and make the effort to get these students to our offices so we can help them."
One aspect helping high school students to get a baccalaureate is the joint application that provides for every qualified AWC candidate who successfully completes the application to automatically be admitted to NAU-Yuma, Gould said.
AWC has just created associate degrees in applied sciences, electrical technology and plumbing. And for those who don't think that is college work, it is taught at a very high level, he said.
"NAU without fail can take students from anyone of those three programs and put them into a Bachelor of Applied Science program to get their degree," Gould said. "They learn the technical portion at AWC and we teach them the management, leadership and accounting at NAU."
When NAU established a campus in Yuma it was a small dedicated staff, Gould said. It was primarily a receiving site, but now it will be a face-to-face site and a center of education.
Planned for the fall of 2009 will be new bachelor degrees in public management, computer technology, and business administration. NAU-Yuma is reversing the trend of students leaving the county for Flagstaff and when students are educated here they tend to stay here.
"We're a one-stop shopping center for anybody who wants a four-year degree here in Yuma and this is due to the hard work of Sue McKinnon," Gould said.
McKinnon, associate vice president of enrollment services, said that this year undergraduate enrollment is up 28 percent and the majority are from AWC.
"We're all about options," McKinnon said. "Some pursue a four-year program, some an associate degree, and we also have strong distance learning (online courses) and a lot more partnerships with military personnel."
McKinnon added, it is important for community residents to inform the university what they are doing right or wrong because "we can't fix policies if we don't know if it's broke."
Erin Grisham, director of educational support services, informed the Hampton audience of the "Gear Up" program, an outreach project for 903 students from three Yuma high schools to help them prepare for college.
"We'll help alleviate poverty by getting our young people enrolled in a four-year bachelor's degree and coming back here to work," Grisham said.
She also emphasized the importance of NAU-Yuma establishing a mentoring program to track high school youth toward college through the VISTA project, a national service program established in 1965 to deal with the indigent.
Gould vowed as part of his commitment, he will do whatever it takes to engage students at NAU-Yuma and get them graduated.
"This is a four-year institution and we have a beautiful relationship but we can't make it happen without AWC," Gould said.
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William Roller can be reached at wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.
