National Park College (NPC) set record highs for number of graduates and degrees conferred this year. Dr. Jerry Thomas, Vice President for Academic Affairs presented a graduation report to the NPC Board of Trustees during their regular monthly meeting Wednesday.
The College conferred 833 degrees and certificates to 518 graduates for academic year 2023, an increase of 5.7% over 2022. This is the highest number of credentials conferred in the College’s history.
Five new degrees were conferred for the first time including, Associate of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences degrees in Health Services Administration, Geography-Geospatial Technology, Computer Science-Cybersecurity and Privacy, and Science Middle Level Education, as well as the Certificate of Proficiency in Certified Teaching Assistant.
Five Southern Arkansas University (SAU) students participated in the commencement ceremony earning bachelor’s degrees in Biology-Pre-Health, Biochemistry, and Computer Science. Apprenticeship students were also recognized during the ceremony, as well as concurrent enrollment students earning college credentials, and adult basic education graduates earning an Arkansas high school diploma. In total, 268 students walked in graduation, a 23% increase over 2022.
Thomas reported the ceremony was livestreamed to viewers from all over the United States, Mexico and Australia. “As our student population continues to grow, so has our audience for commencement. We were proud to be able to provide access to families from all over the world so they can celebrate their student’s success.”
NPC Board Chair, Joyce Craft, shared that her first graduation as board chair was memorable. “We are celebrating our 50th year, our first SAU graduates, and a record number of degrees and graduates. These are significant milestones, and I could not be prouder of the efforts of our students, faculty and staff who have worked to achieve this success. It will be hard to top such a memorable year, but I am confident this team is capable of doing just that.”
“I’m particularly grateful to SAU for their partnership providing bachelor’s degrees here in Hot Springs. We are beginning to see the fruits of that partnership with these graduates. The record number of certificates and degrees points to the quality and dedication of our faculty,” said NPC president, John Hogan.
