News / Press Releases

Northwest Tech continues to demonstrate strong national graduation rate rankings according to a recent report published by the Chronicle of Higher Education. The Almanac, an annual publication produced by The Chronicle of Higher Education, provides national insights on data and trends throughout higher education. The college has maintained steady success with graduation rates, and this year Northwest Tech was ranked #21 among 815 two-year publicly-funded colleges in the United States. The new ranking places Northwest Tech among the top 3% in success rates in the nation. Perhaps more remarkable is the college has been among the Top 25 for six out of the last seven years....

Campus Update: COVID-19 Cases

August 25, 2020
11:00am MT

We have returned safely to campus and have started the Fall 2020 academic year. We are now into the third week of classes with all programs and general education classes in operation and on-campus. While we remain keenly aware that we will likely see COVID-19 cases develop as the year continues, at this point, we have had 0 cases on our campus in Goodland or our outreach location in Quinter. We have been working diligently with the Sherman County Health Department to test students who demonstrate symptoms common for the COVID-19 virus and at this point in time, all have come back negative. When a positive case develops we will continue to adhere to HIPAA laws and protect the privacy of those impacted. We will post a notification on our COVID-19 webpage and send an email to students and employees that a case has developed.

Northwest Tech is moving up the national graduation rate rankings according to a recent report published by the Chronicle of Higher Education. The Almanac, an annual publication produced by The Chronicle of Higher Education, provides national insights on data and trends throughout higher education. While the college has had steady success with graduation rates, this year Northwest Tech was ranked as #9 among 876 two-year publicly-funded colleges in the United States. The new ranking places the college on the verge of breaking into the top 1% of colleges nationwide. It also reflects a 10 position jump from the prior year. 

The Goodland community has landed a class member in the upcoming Leadership Kansas 2019 program. Goodland native Jason Showalter has been selected amidst a wide field of candidates to join this year’s class, which begins in April.

Leadership Kansas has a long history in Kansas and is among the oldest and most prestigious statewide leadership programs in the country. The purpose of the program is to serve as a catalyst for creating awareness of relevant statewide issues facing Kansas. The selection process aims to identify individuals who are already serving in leadership capacities around the state and inspire them to stay involved in civic engagement. Earning a seat in the program is competitive with hundreds of nominations received each year, with only 40 individuals ultimately selected.

Class members will have the opportunity to travel to communities across all corners of the state over the 6-month long program. Upon graduating the program, class members will join the alumni network of over 1,300 distinguished Kansans including the likes of Bill Graves, Jerry Moran, David Dillon, and many others.

After spending several years as a law enforcement officer, Showalter joined the faculty ranks at Northwest Tech in the Crime Scene Investigation program. During his tenure as an instructor in the program, it was one of the fastest growing majors at the college. He currently serves as the Dean of Student Advancement at Northwest Tech, where he is responsible for leading student life initiatives, student discipline, and enhancing student engagement. “I am blessed to have been accepted into such a prestigious leadership organization and have been inundated with calls, letters, and emails from business and civic leaders from across Kansas congratulating me,” said Showalter. “It is evidence of how strong the connections within Leadership Kansas are, and I cannot wait to meet my classmates and program alumni.”

Showalter will join the ranks of several Goodland community members who have been in the program in the past; Joe Bain, Ben Brandvik, Brad Cowan, Marcia Golden, Brian Linin, Ed Mills, Jenifer Sanderson, Kevin Sanderson, Ben Schears, Jeanie Schields and Alan Townsend.

Nationally Ranked Graduation Rates At Northwest TechGoodland, KS. (09/10/2018)  – Northwest Tech continues to be one of the top-performing colleges in the nation according to the recent release of the Chronicle of Higher Education’s annual Almanac. Out of 762 publicly funded technical and community colleges from around the nation, Northwest Tech ranked #19, placing the college among the top 3% in the nation. The report ranks the success of colleges in students graduating within a 3-year timeframe. Northwest Tech was the only technical college in Kansas to make the list this year.

More and more high school seniors are deciding to attend a technical college after graduation to reap the endless benefits of a technical education. Students are usually focused on the obvious benefits, such as career-focused programs, smaller class sizes, adaptability, and less debt after graduation. However, many new college students do not realize the importance of graduation rates and what that could mean for their future.

“Achieving a ranking this high in the Chronicle, an analysis of U.S. Department of Education Data, is a huge deal,” says President Ben Schears. “Earning a certificate or degree makes a tremendous difference in our students ability to enter the workforce, make an impact on the state’s economy, and start enjoying the career they trained for and love.”

Graduation rates are a reflection of the accountability, transparency, and quality that Northwest Tech promises its students. Northwest Tech prides itself on the academic support that the faculty and staff provide to students and giving them the tools they need to succeed.

Also making the list was Colby Community College, which came in ranked #24. “I think it speaks volumes for Northwest Kansas as a whole, that the two colleges in our region are recognized for achieving such high graduation rates,” said Schears, “…it’s good news for our regional economy and the communities that support us.”

2-Year Colleges With the Best 3-Year Graduation Rates, 2016. (2018, August 19). Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com