National Park College (NPC) student Zachary Aslett, a criminal justice major, was
named student of the month for February. He is a member of TRIO Student Support Services
and is on pace to graduate from NPC in the Spring of 2024.
Aslett, who is from Hot Springs and graduated from Lake Hamilton High School in 2005,
said he chose to attend NPC because it was close to home, affordable and offered the
degree he wanted. He enjoys running, playing sports, coaching his son and spending
time with his family and fiancé.
Aslett said he is pursuing a degree in criminal justice because “I have always been
fascinated with law and now I am most interested in the law because I believe there
is much work and improvement to be made to the criminal justice process and especially
at the juvenile level. I plan to move into a line of work with juvenile delinquents
and kids who are most susceptible to becoming juvenile delinquents.”
Aslett also praised the quality of education and the access to professors at NPC.
“The quality that National Park College has that is the most important to me is the
access to the professors and the ability to develop relationships that you miss out
on at a large university. The teacher-to-student ratio allows for more time to discuss
assignments and receive feedback that allows the students to develop in the two years
they are here at NPC,” Aslett said.
After graduating from NPC, Aslett plans to transfer to Henderson State University
to pursue a bachelor's degree in sociology, with a minor in psychology with an emphasis
on child psychology.
“The benefits of education are far-reaching. The courses I have taken over the past
two years have given me so much insight into society, the factors that people must
overcome to achieve differing levels of success, and just how difficult that can be
for most people. Those same courses have also educated me to become a better father,
significant other, and more productive member of society. There really is no substitute
for a little perspective and a quality education,” said Aslett.
When asked how it feels to be honored as Student of the Month, Aslett said, “Being
recognized for my academic accomplishments is new for me. I have worked diligently
and put in a level of effort that I felt would benefit my education the most and to
be recognized for my hard work feels like a small sense of accomplishment. I am of
the mindset that you get out what you put in, so it is certainly a wonderful feeling
to know that others feel my efforts have been better than average. I am very grateful,
and it has been an honor to learn from each one of my instructors. I have learned
so much that has allowed me to better the quality of life I am able to provide for
my family and that is due to the tutelage of all my professors and the course work
in the Criminal Justice program at NPC. Thank you all.”
Gerald Summers, a criminal justice faculty, said Aslett was an outstanding student
who performed well in his classes and helped other students.
“I have had the privilege of having Zach in several classes. In each class his academic
performance is outstanding. Zach consistently performs at the top of the class and
assists other students in and out of the classroom. Zach is passionate about life-long
learning and hopes to work within the criminal justice field with individuals struggling
with addiction issues,” said Summers.
Aslett added, “Education is more important than I ever realized, and I am very thankful
for the opportunity that was given to me when I enrolled here and received Pell grants
and financial assistance because, without it, I would not have been able to attain
a degree. I have an educational foundation that I am proud of today. An educational
foundation that has set me up for success as I move into the future. My children’s
children will be able to benefit from the opportunity that NPC gave me. For that,
I am eternally grateful. I will be a first-generation college graduate and this associate
degree is just the beginning for me. Thank you all so much.”
