News / Press Releases

Northwest Tech has announced Matt Murray as the new Collision Repair/Auto Body Technology instructor. As a graduate of the program, the Goodland native brings more than 25 years of auto body experience to the classroom. Murray owns “Murray’s Kustoms” which has been in business for over 16 years. Murray is also involved with the local Auto Club, “Bricktop Cruisers”, as President for over a decade.

While holding several industry-related certifications, Murray has a skillset that surpasses the typical body and refinish technician. Murray’s special interests include custom body and paint work, choptops, metal fabrication, airbrushing, pinstriping, upholstery, suspension, glass, trim, and soda blasting.

This fall, Northwest Tech welcomed a new Carpentry instructor, Joseph Dobbs. Dobbs is a Northwest Tech alumni, however, he majored in Computer Graphic Design back in 2005. Dobbs spent the last 12 years working in the construction industry alongside his father.

“Carpentry was something I was raised doing. It’s my father’s trade and so by proximity I inherited the skills, knowledge and passion required for the job”, said Dobbs, “To this day it still gives me immense joy to finish a project and have a satisfied customer. It’s always fulfilling to finish an apartment, office, shop, building or home and step back to realize you left a thumb print that will bring years of use for the customer and or family.”

Northwest Tech has awarded two 2^nd year students with the Presidential Scholarship. These academically talented students were granted a $5,000 scholarship to reward their outstanding achievements. The student recipients are Logan Klein of Yuma, Colorado and Rache Wente of Quinter, Kansas.

The scholarship was created by the Area Board of Control to honor students in the highest academic standing. The Presidential Scholarship Application is open to any 2nd-year students (must have completed two consecutive full-time (12+hours) semesters at NWKTC) with a GPA of 4.0 for both semesters.

“On behalf of the Board, it is my pleasure to award these deserving students with the Presidential Scholarship,” said Schears. “Both Rache and Logan embody the essence of being a Maverick. Their commitment to their studies, positive attitudes, and hard work are all qualities that are valued at Northwest Tech.”

Logan Klein will be finishing his final year of the Carpentry program this year and plans to return to Yuma, Colorado and open a small handyman business. Klein chose carpentry because he enjoys designing and fabricating solutions to a wide variety of problems in residential construction. “Northwest Tech has exposed me to many different applications and techniques which I will take into the workforce”, said Klein. Klein is currently running to be a SkillsUSA state officer to advocate for the skilled trades, and vocational education throughout the state of Kansas.

Rache Wente is in her final year of Respiratory Therapy and will be graduating in May. Wente decided to major in RT because her son’s life was saved by a Respiratory Therapist. “My son was born 6 weeks early”, said Wente, “His immature lungs refused to support his life, and he was sent to a larger hospital via helicopter 36 hours after he was born. While in the air, one of his lungs collapsed and I credit the RT on board with saving my son’s life.” After graduation, Wente will be working at Gove County Medical Center.

Northwest Tech was notified this morning that we have one individual on the Goodland campus who has tested positive for COVID-19. We are working with the Sherman County Health Department and are already conducting contact tracing to identify and contact individuals who have been in close proximity to the student. These individuals will be placed in quarantine as we follow health department protocols....

Campus Update: COVID-19 Cases

August 25, 2020
11:00am MT

We have returned safely to campus and have started the Fall 2020 academic year. We are now into the third week of classes with all programs and general education classes in operation and on-campus. While we remain keenly aware that we will likely see COVID-19 cases develop as the year continues, at this point, we have had 0 cases on our campus in Goodland or our outreach location in Quinter. We have been working diligently with the Sherman County Health Department to test students who demonstrate symptoms common for the COVID-19 virus and at this point in time, all have come back negative. When a positive case develops we will continue to adhere to HIPAA laws and protect the privacy of those impacted. We will post a notification on our COVID-19 webpage and send an email to students and employees that a case has developed.