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The Northwest Tech Lady Mavericks invite you and your family to support their team while enjoying delicious food from Great Western Dining! Meals will be available for purchase very home game this February. All proceeds will benefit the Lady Maverick Basketball team. General admission for each game is $5. All Northwest Tech, Goodland High School, and Goodland Jr. High students will be admitted for free.

The meal schedule and prices are listed below:

Feb. 1st

Fried chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy, vegetables, and all-you-can-eat ham & potato soup - $5

Feb. 5th

All-you-can-eat spaghetti, garlic bread, vegetables, and salad - $7

Feb 8th

All-you-can-eat BBQ pulled pork, BBQ beef, potato salad, coleslaw, and chips- $7

Feb 12th

All-you-can-eat chicken & noodle soup, mashed potatoes, macaroni & cheese, and salad - $7

Feb 19th

Hamburger, hotdog, chips, and all-you-can-eat chili - $5

Please consider having dinner at the Max this February and supporting our Lady Maverick Basketball team! Athletic schedules can be found at https://www.ntmavericks.com/sports/wbkb/2017-18/schedule

The Engineering and Drafting Technology program at Northwest Kansas Technical College received funding from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation in support of their Industry Readiness Initiative.

The Industry Readiness Initiative’s mission is to provide all students with enriching learning experiences through the use of new innovative equipment and essential classroom materials. The Engineering and Drafting Technology lab is a collaborative space where students come together to design, create, and build items of their own creation through inquiry-based learning.

Funding from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation was used to purchase new innovative equipment, classroom materials, and engineering industry specific tools such as an enhanced 3D printer, portable drafting tables, new desk chairs, milling machine accessories, projector, and iPads. These items are innovative and essential to emulate current industry standards. This lab equipment will provide a real-world, practical introduction to engineering design and prototyping with an emphasis on design for manufacturability.

The recent improvements to the Engineering and Drafting Technology lab have drawn interest and new support from their advisory board, as well as new student prospects. Additional equipment was needed to help facilitate the expansion of the program, which has included the addition of several new high school juniors and seniors from Goodland High School.

The Engineering and Drafting Technology program at Northwest Tech provides a well-balanced curriculum in drafting and related subjects by covering the four basic areas of mechanical, civil, architectural, and computer-aided drafting. For more information on The Engineering and Drafting Technology program and how to apply, please visit fhnw.edu

Northwest Tech recently installed an emergency stand-by generator that will power the Student Union during power outages. Northwest Tech administrators say this generator will keep students, faculty, staff, and in some instances, community members safe in the event of a weather emergency.

Power is vital and losing electricity can be challenging in a rural community. Significant power failures can last from a few days to a few weeks depending on the cause and configuration of the blackout. Outages may happen without warning and cause issues in terms of inoperable businesses and mechanical failures. Having an emergency facility and backup generator will provide the college with an alternative shelter for students, and even community members, in the event a dire need arises.

Northwest Tech received a generous grant from the Dane G. Hansen Foundation to purchase the generator to ensure the Student Union will have power during an outage. Their support ensures the Student Union, which is equipped with a full kitchen, shelter space, and restrooms, can be used as a staging and rallying point for area emergency management professionals.

The Northwest Tech Emergency Standby Generator project will provide a readily accessible facility to students, faculty, and staff. If long-term assistance is needed, residents of Sherman County will have access to the facility before, during, and after times of major emergencies and/or disasters. Northwest Tech will maintain close coordination with local emergency response organizations on an ongoing basis to ensure any needs of the community can be met in a timely manner.

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program today named Northwest Kansas Technical College as one of 150 community colleges eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America's community colleges. Based on strong and improving in student outcomes—including in learning, completion rates, employment rates and earnings, and equity—15 percent of community colleges nationwide have been invited to apply for the Aspen Prize.

"We continue to be honored to be recognized by the Aspen Institute for the great work our faculty and staff do each day," said Northwest Tech President Ben Schears. "The cohort model, contact time with faculty, and small campus environment are incredible assets to helping our students succeed."

The 150 community colleges named today as eligible to compete for the 2021 Aspen Prize were selected from a pool of nearly 1,000 public two-year colleges nationwide using publicly available data on student outcomes. Located in 39 states in urban, rural, and suburban areas, serving as few as 500 students and as many as 75,000 students, these colleges represent the diversity and depth of the community college sector.

Data show that over the last two years, student retention, graduation rates, and degree completion have improved at the top tier of 150 Aspen Prize-eligible colleges.

“Community colleges play a vital role in developing talent and enabling social mobility across the country, and it’s critical for them to get better at what they do,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. “We’re pleased to see evidence that these institutions are improving, that more are delivering on their promise. We’re also pleased to play a role in honoring outstanding community colleges and sharing what works to ensure great outcomes for students—through graduation and beyond.”

The top ten finalists for the 2021 Aspen Prize will be named in May 2020. The Aspen Institute will then conduct site visits to each of the finalists and collect additional quantitative data, including employment and earnings data. A distinguished jury will make award decisions in spring 2021.

Northwest Tech continues to be one of the top-performing 2-year colleges in the nation for the categories analyzed by the Aspen Institute. Strong connections with business and industry in each program ensure there are numerous opportunities for employment waiting for graduates. "Our role is to serve as a pipeline to the workforce," said Schears. "The connections our teams build with future employers have resulted in high-wage and in-demand jobs for our students - and you simply can't ask for more."

Previous winners of the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence are: Miami Dade College (FL) and Indian River State College (FL), 2019; Lake Area Technical College (SD), 2017; Santa Fe College (FL), 2015; Santa Barbara City College (CA) and Walla Walla Community College (WA), 2013; Valencia College (FL), 2011.

For a full list of the top 150 eligible institutions and to read more on the selection process, visit www.highered.aspeninstitute.org/aspen-prize.

Nominations for the 2020 Outstanding Alumni are Now Open!

Goodland, KS. (01/13/2020)  – This year will mark the 3^rd annual Outstanding Maverick Alumnus award ceremony at Northwest Kansas Technical College. The award is presented to a Northwest Tech graduate that has achieved significant recognition or accomplishment in their chosen field.

Northwest Tech takes pride in honoring our alumni, many of whom create benefits for our current students. Throughout the academic year, many alumni donate their time to offer career support to students of their field and several serve as members of our Program Advisory Committees. This structure enhances students’ experience and gives them a competitive edge as they enter the workforce. A supportive alumni network is crucial to our success at Northwest Tech and we strive to continue our students as they begin their careers and beyond. As we say at Northwest Tech, once a Maverick, always a Maverick!

The Endowment Association is asking for nominations of individuals to receive the 2020 Outstanding Maverick Alumnus award. Nominations can be proposed via https://nwktc.wufoo.com/forms/outstanding-alumni-nomination/. Please contact Kelly James, Endowment Director, if you have any questions. The deadline to submit a nomination is March 15, 2020. Eligible nominations are reviewed and award selection will be made in early April. The award recipient will be made public after individual has agreed to accept the award. There are no speaking requirements of the alumnus we honor, but we will recognize them at the commencement ceremony on May 8^th, 2020.

Again, please visit https://nwktc.wufoo.com/forms/outstanding-alumni-nomination/ or contact Kelly James to nominate an outstanding Maverick Alumnus and help us recognize their achievements.

Kelly James

Endowment Director

Kelly.James@nwktc.edu

(785) 890-1529