As we reflect on our recent Northwest Vista College state and national recognitions, I am grateful for the phenomenal work of our students, faculty and staff who each and every day produce outstanding and measurable results. While this collective effort has been recognized at the state and national levels, there remains many more opportunities for growth and further student success.
This year, NVC is ranked as the No. 1 community college in Texas for 2017 by BestColleges.com, and marks the first time that NVC has earned the top spot on the state’s list. The previous two years, NVC was listed second among Texas community colleges. The ranking is based on key performance indicators, such as acceptance, retention, graduation, enrollment rates and loan default percentages as a measure of graduates’ success. The data comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Educational Statistics. It includes the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and College Navigator.
Another commendable recognition is NVC being ranked among the top 25 community colleges in the nation for Hispanics according to Hispanic Outlook (HO) on Education Magazine. Hispanic enrollment grew from 44 percent in 2005 to 62 percent during the 2014-2015 academic year. The number of associate degrees earned by Hispanic students grew from 38 percent in 2005 to 58 percent in the 2014-2015 academic year. NVC is one of only two local colleges on the list — at No. 12 in the nation — among community colleges. The magazine based their ranking on data from the Department of Education. While NVC’s achievements can be attributed to many factors, many of them are highlighted in the magazine’s article.
There are many subjective college rankings. The credibility of the two previously mentioned ranking organizations is enhanced by their selection methodology being based on authentic and meaningful data as collected by the National Center for Educational Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Colleges and universities are required to submit this information to be eligible for Title IV financial aid funding. The rankings are designed to help potential students and their families make the best decision in selecting a college.
NVC faculty and staff and our community partners already know that NVC is a good investment. But potential students and their families may not know that if they have never been to our campus. They also may not know that last year alone, NVC has seen a 51 percent increase in students earning associate degrees and 13 percent increase in students earning certificates of achievement. What is even more remarkable is that we have been producing results with more student enrollment, now reaching 17,000.
Knowing that each student has different needs and may encounter different obstacles in achieving their goals, we are once again reminded of the critical role we play at every step of the student’s journey: recruitment, advising, enrollment, the classroom, faculty-student interaction, support labs, counseling, student life and beyond.
There are many moments in a student’s journey where their enthusiasm could diminish and their propensity to finish what they started could wane. NVC’s spirit and the touchstones (values) we hold dear continue to remind and inspire us to remain steadfast in helping our students realize their goals, so they, in turn, can transform our community.
Thank you for being part of NVC and for your dedication to student success!