PRESS ADVISORY
NPC Contact: Jeff Weaver, Melony Ritter
501.760.6410 office
COTO Contact: Amber Childers, 501.332.0234
Henderson State Contact: Tonya Oaks Smith, 501.352.8505
December 30, 2016
NPC, COTO, HENDERSON STATE FORM REGIONAL ALLIANCE
Hot Springs, Arkansas – National Park College (NPC), College of the Ouachitas (COTO), and Henderson State University have collaborated to form the Southern Arkansas Regional Alliance (SARA). Governor Asa Hutchinson and Dr. Maria Markham from the Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE) will host a press conference in the Governor’s Conference Room at the Capitol Wednesday, January 4 at 11 a.m. to announce the agreement.
In alignment with the Governor’s Closing the Gap 2020 master plan for higher education, the goal of the regional alliance is to create an innovative, collaborative, 21st century delivery model for higher education and workforce development initiatives in Arkansas that will prioritize student success, degree attainment and workforce development ahead of tradition and turf. The agreement also includes strategies for creating institutional efficiencies through shared resources.
About NPC
National Park College was established in 1973 and is located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The College enrolls nearly 5,000 credit and non-credit students per semester. NPC is a comprehensive two-year institution offering associate degrees and certificates as well as continuing education, community services and workforce training.
About Henderson State
Henderson State University, located in the heart of southwest Arkansas, provides a learning environment that prepares students for a lifetime of intellectual and personal growth in a global society. For 125 years, Henderson State has worked to bridge student aspirations to career success by instilling in students the skills employers most want – communication, decision-making, teamwork and problem-solving – through the application of a strong core of liberal arts classes that are applied through professional studies.
About COTO
College of the Ouachitas in Malvern, Arkansas, provides high quality, accessible educational opportunities at the freshman and sophomore level in associate degree, technical certificate, and certificate of proficiency programs, a college-transfer program, continuing education, and industry-specific training to support individual and community needs in Arkansas. As directed by its mission, the College “continually identifies and addresses the changing learning needs of the communities it serves.” Annual enrollments include over 1,800 credit and over 1,200 non-credit students. To learn more, visit www.COTO.edu.
