NWTC is a finalist for the prestigious national Bellwether Award.
NWTC's transition from semesters to eight-week terms, “The 8-Week Advantage: Turning Change into Transformation,” was judged a Top 10 Bellwether Finalist in the category of Planning, Governance & Finance. The award recognizes excellence in three categories: Instructional Programs and Services; Planning, Governance and Finance; and Workforce Development.
Leaders from NWTC will make an hour-long presentation in the next round of judging to determine one national award recipient. In fall 2020, about half of NWTC's degree and diploma programs had been converted to eight-week terms, which have been shown to help more students complete their classes and graduate on time. In fall 2021, the transition is expected to be complete. See the
8 Week Advantage landing page for details.
Thank you to all of the faculty, staff and students who have been on this journey with us!
The official announcement from the Bellwether College Consortium is as follows:
30 Community Colleges Named as Finalists for the Bellwether Award
SAN ANTONIO, TX —The Bellwether College Consortium announced its list of 30 community colleges selected as 2021 finalists for the highly coveted Bellwether Awards in a first round of competition. Bellwether finalists represent leading community colleges whose outstanding and innovative programs and practices were selected among competitive submissions as exemplary. The finalists will undergo a rigorous second and final round of review at the fully virtual 2021 Community College Futures Assembly in January, 2021. Each selected college provides a 60-minute presentation on its program or model to an anonymous panel, recognized as skilled practitioners and thought leaders in the field. The Bellwether Awards are widely regarded as one of the nation’s most competitive and prestigious recognitions for community colleges.