NIC committed to student success

North Idaho College's commencement on May 13 was once again a great event. Out of approximately 900 students eligible for graduation this year, nearly 400 chose to celebrate their success by walking across the stage and receiving their degree or certificate. This is a public statement about NIC's commitment to student success.

Last month I wrote about how our Writing Center contributes to student success. I am confident that many of this year's graduates used that superb resource. I am equally confident that they also took advantage of the student success resource that I'm going to tell you about in this column - the College Skills Center. But, before I do, I want to talk about who our students are and why we create new and innovative ways to help them succeed.

Our students come to us with a broad blend of educational, financial and geographic experiences. The one thing they all have in common is their differences. Different family situations, different ages, different expectations and different life experiences demand that we employ resources and people to make student success a priority.

I do want to emphasize that community colleges are not only for students straight out of high school. Because of our open admissions policy, community colleges have always been available for those who need another chance, another skill, a fresh start in life or decide at the last minute that maybe they need more education or training. While a very large number of our students purposely choose to start their post-secondary education at NIC, there are many who become our students because of life events that they did not foresee. No matter the level of previous educational success, all our students deserve our best efforts to help them succeed.

That is why the College Skills Center is such an important part of the college. It was created to provide high quality instruction and support to students to help them be as successful as possible during their time at North Idaho College. Simply put, it exists to give our students the skills they need to attain their education and training goals. The two major components of the College Skills Center are the academic classes offered to bring students up to college-level work and the peer tutoring program.

Students voluntarily sign up for the courses or they are directed to them because their scores on the college placement test indicate a need for skill building in reading, writing or math. Classes offered include Basic Mathematics, College Study Skills, College Transition, College Internet Skills and several levels of Reading Skills as well. These courses are presented by four full-time and 15 adjunct faculty members. The courses are designed to enhance a student's skill level and raise it to that needed level to successfully complete college-level work.

The peer tutoring program provides small group tutoring to any student taking a class at NIC. The tutoring is provided free of charge and students may receive two hours of tutoring per subject each week. Almost 500 students a semester use this program. This past spring semester, there were more than 4,000 hours of tutoring delivered and the students rave about the success it brings.

Talking about her tutor, one recent student stated, "She is very complete in her explanations and makes the concepts completely clear. I got an A on my midterm because of her great teaching." Another student praised the program by saying, "I feel so much more confident after each tutoring session, my tutor is a lifesaver. I have gotten a few A's on my tests, and I strongly feel it has to do with my tutor."

The College Skills Center and the Writing Center demonstrate daily our commitment to student success. Whether a student is coming to us straight from high school or returning to education after being away for years, we will find a way to help them succeed.

Priscilla Bell, Ph.D., is president of North Idaho College. For comments on this column, email her at PresidentsColumn@NIC.EDU.