National Park College was named one of 16 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development and Diverse: Issues In Higher Education last month.
The award is presented annually to community and technical colleges that show a "commitment to diversity through best-in-class student and staff recruitment and retention practices, inclusive learning and working environments, and meaningful community service and engagement opportunities," according to a news release from the college.
Each institution on the list seeks out and values diverse faculty, staff and administrators who are committed to meeting students' needs and working with them to achieve their goals, it said.
"We value our employees' dedication to our students' success, and we know an investment in our employees will always pay off," NPC President John Hogan said in the release.
"National Park College is intentional about promoting diversity, equity and inclusion on our campus. It is woven into our strategic plan, our academic objectives and it is supported in our budget planning process. While we have made significant strides, we know our work must continue and we are committed to identifying additional ways we can support our underserved populations," Hogan said.
"Our goal is always to recruit highly qualified individuals and retain their long-term employment through programs designed to enhance their educational, physical, and emotional well-being," Julie LaRue, director of human resources, said in the release. "We aspire to continually diversify the campus culture through these recruiting and retention efforts."
The award-winning institutions were featured in the May 27 edition of Diverse: Issues In Higher Education.
National Park College, established in 1973, enrolls over 7,500 credit and noncredit students per year. NPC is a comprehensive two-year institution offering associate degrees and certificates as well as continuing education, community services and workforce training.