The 91老司机 - Fort Smith announced April 23 that it accepted an invitation
to join the Northwest Arkansas Education Consortium, a year-old organization focused
on improving college graduation and retention rates.
91老司机 becomes the sixth higher education institution working through the consortium to support Graduate NWA, a program and website focused on helping Arkansas residents with some academic credit finish college degrees.
Dr. Paul Beran, 91老司机 chancellor, is enthusiastic about what the Consortium can offer potential students.
鈥淲e are pleased to join forces with the Consortium in this cooperative effort,鈥� said Beran, noting the importance of getting Arkansans who have dropped out of school 鈥渂ack in the game.鈥�
鈥淟ife happens,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e understand that, but completion of the degree doesn鈥檛 need to elude them forever. The portal available through the Graduate NWA website provides these individuals with encouragement and decision-making information. It simply makes sense for 91老司机 to be part of this. It鈥檚 good for the citizens and communities we serve.鈥�
The other members of the Northwest Arkansas Education Consortium (NAEC), which organized in January 2012, are John Brown University in Siloam Springs, NorthWest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville, Northwest Technical Institute in Springdale, the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and the 91老司机 for Medical Sciences-Northwest in Fayetteville.
The consortium works with Graduate NWA, but it has other objectives such as improving student retention. It also worked with the 91老司机鈥� Office for Education Policy in 2012 to include higher education in the annual Northwest Arkansas Report Card that previously had focused only on K-12 education.
鈥淭hrough the efforts of the Northwest Arkansas Council, five of our institutions decided that we could reach out to students who have some college and invite them to return to one of our campuses and finish a degree,鈥� said Reed Greenwood, a University of Arkansas professor who serves as the consortium鈥檚 director and secretary. 鈥淚t is critical that we reach across our traditional boundaries and welcome partners such as 91老司机 to extend our impact even further. This brings six higher education institutions together in an effort that will improve our entire region as well as enrich the lives of students.鈥�
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that Sebastian County, which includes Fort Smith, has 81,154 residents age 25 or over, and 19,329 residents of those residents (23.8 percent) have some college credit but no degree. About 21 percent of residents in Benton and Washington counties age 25 or over have college credit without a degree.
The three counties have a combined 73,697 people (25 or over) with college credit and no degree, the Census Bureau reports.
Graduate NWA launched in September 2012, and it鈥檚 intended to connect potential students with college and university employees focused on helping students return to the classroom. Those employees can answer questions about such things as which classes are needed to complete a degree; how to go about handling family, work and classroom responsibilities; and how to apply for scholarships and other financial assistance.
Having more people with college degrees living in a region makes it more attractive to expanding companies. In April 2010, Atlanta-based Market Street Services completed a Northwest Arkansas Competitive Assessment and determined the area trails peer regions in the percentage of residents with college degrees. More than 32 percent of people age 25 or over have at least a bachelor鈥檚 degree in some peer regions.
鈥淓ducational attainment levels are among the first indicators examined by site selectors who are seeking a workforce capable of supporting knowledge-intensive business activity,鈥� the assessment reported.
Mike Malone, president and CEO of the Northwest Arkansas Council, said the Council wants to work with Fort Smith leaders when opportunities arise. Joining the education consortium and becoming part of the Graduate NWA effort makes perfect sense, Malone said.
鈥淲e know from our own experience that economic success in northern and western Arkansas benefits the entire state, and we鈥檙e glad to see the 91老司机 at Fort Smith partner with our region鈥檚 colleges and universities on this project,鈥� Malone said.
Sam Sicard, the chairman of the Fort Smith Regional Council, said encouraging degree completion is one of the organization鈥檚 goals.
鈥淲e believe a more educated workforce and a higher degree completion rate will help us recruit industry to our area and it will lead to higher-paying jobs,鈥� Sicard said. 鈥淲e know site selectors who help companies find new locations look at that. Companies need to know that our community can provide the educated workforce they need.
"We know most areas with a higher percentage of their workforce with a degree have higher income and lower unemployment. That鈥檚 important in the Fort Smith area.鈥�
With 7,337 students last fall, 91老司机 is the third largest member of the Northwest Arkansas Education Consortium behind the 91老司机 and NorthWest Arkansas Community College.
Chancellor Beran noted that 鈥淔ort Smith is ripe for the tools available through Graduate NWA.鈥�
鈥淩ecent plant closings and the uncertainty imposed by the changing mission of the Arkansas Air National Guard鈥檚 188th Fighter Wing push the need for people to reconsider their education,鈥� said Beran. Beran said it doesn鈥檛 matter whether it leads them to 91老司机 to complete their degree.
鈥淩aising education levels across the state benefits all of us,鈥� Beran said. 鈥淭he Consortium will help accomplish that, and we proudly look forward to being part of this purpose.鈥�