FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Weaver, Melony Ritter
(501) 760.6410 office
press@np.edu
September 1, 2015
NATIONAL PARK COLLEGE PRESIDENT COMMENDS GOVERNOR’S LEADERSHIP FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
Hot Springs, Arkansas - Governor Asa Hutchinson addressed the Arkansas Division of Higher Education’s President’s Council today. The Governor spoke about degree attainment and plans to improve the state’s economic position. Dr. John Hogan, National Park College (NPC) President, attended the Governor’s address. He shared, “I commend Governor Hutchinson on taking the first step toward closing the attainment gap in Arkansas. As many already know, Arkansas ranks 49th in the nation on this measure, and studies show this rate continues to decline.”
Hogan added, “Governor Hutchinson has taken a leadership role in developing a master plan to reverse this trend, along with Dr. Brett Powell and the Arkansas Division of Higher Education. Closing the Gap 2020: A Master Plan for Higher Education in Arkansas is an innovative step forward that will rely on community colleges to help close the attainment gap for Arkansas students. I believe this is the most critical issue challenging the state’s economic development.” Dr. Hogan expressed pride that NPC has already committed to many of the steps outlined in the plan, including: Reducing tuition for Arkansas students Implementing a Tuition Guarantee, a promise that tuition will not increase for continuously enrolled eligible students Implementing a Graduate Guarantee, a promise that our graduates leave with the skills our employers and transfer institutions expect Committing to developing seamless, convenient transfer opportunities to four-year universities through our National Park University Initiative Prioritizing diversity, underserved, non-traditional and minority degree attainment Re-allocating campus resources to maximize efficiency
National Park College is excited about taking on the challenge laid out by Governor Hutchinson and looks forward to continuing to implement strategies to meet the needs of Arkansas students.
Dr. John Hogan is National Park College's fourth president. He joined NPC as president in 2014 from Columbus, Indiana, where he served as chancellor of the Columbus Region in the Ivy Tech Community College system for more than 11 years. His career with Ivy Tech spanned almost 25 years, in which he performed the roles of Executive Dean, Director of Enrollment and Student Services, Interim Dean of Instructional Affairs, Student Services and Facilities Manager, Enrollment Services Manager, and Registrar. His educational background includes a B.S. in Healthcare Administration and a M.A.E. in College Student Personnel Administration from Western Kentucky University and a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Indiana State University.
National Park College was established in 1973 and is located in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The College enrolls nearly 4,000 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. Read about our new initiatives here.
