NRCC History Book

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Of the total, 16 courses were print-based and required students to pick up and submit work on campus. In 2015, the number of online courses increased to 188, with only six of the total being print-based. By the end of the decade, no courses were print-based, and 185 online courses were offered. In 2019 the SR Education Group, an organization responsible for creating and maintaining educational resources for online students, listed NRCC in the top three of the 2019 Best Online Community Colleges in Virginia. Schools were ranked based on retention rates, graduation rates, and affordability. Student Success Initiatives Achieve 2015, the second strategic plan developed in 2009, contained a goal to triple the number of students graduating, transferring, or completing a workforce credential, including tripling the success of students from underserved populations. In 2014, the VCCS required each college to submit a student success plan with a percentage of the year’s funding tied to the plan. By the end of the decade, 20 percent of the funding allocated to the college was based on student success outcomes. Described next are at least a dozen student success initiatives introduced between 2010 and 2019 to help students achieve both academically and non-academically. Partners for Success . Partners for Success, a program launched in Fall 2010 and directed by Dr. Don Stowers, had three goals: (1) provide tutors through academic services, (2) provide a retention specialist to serve as liaison between students and faculty, and (3) provide community volunteers or mentors to work with students. Directed by Janet Hanks, associate professor of

English, and Belinda Nuckols, administrative assistant, the Academic Assistance Center provided 15 to 16 tutors in a variety of subjects. The retention specialist worked with students on both academic and non academic needs to ensure their success. Five community volunteers, mostly retired educators, tutored and mentored students. Partners for Success staff provided the same services for students at the Christiansburg site. Connection Center . A Connection Center in Godbey Hall opened and provided a place for individual study, peer-to-peer work groups, tutoring sessions, faculty meetings with students, and computer and software access. Other services offered by the center included embedded developmental math tutors and Blackboard training for students. College Readiness . The college readiness initiative involved testing math skills of high school juniors in the college’s service region and designing appropriate remediation plans as needed. The COMPASS test was administered at participating high schools. Based on test results, remediation plans for students were developed by both high school and NRCC faculty. After students completed the appropriate remedial math courses during their senior year, they were considered “college ready” and were not reassessed upon admission to the college. Advanced Learners Program (ALP) . The Advanced Learners Program (ALP), led by Dr. Don Stowers, offered distance education courses that were more rigorous than standard courses for high achieving students who desired an increased interactive, collaborative, and engaging learning environment. During Summer

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