August 31, 2018
August 31, 2018 Northland Community & Technical College (NCTC) is teaming up with the Grand Forks Air Force Base to host a Military Families Career & College Day at the East Grand Forks Campus on Saturday, Sept. 15., from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. to present new college and career pathways for military service members and their families. The free event will include several short presentations and breakout sessions, along with free childcare activities facilitated by NCTC Early Childhood Education program faculty and students for service members who wish to attend with their families. Lunch will be served and door prizes awarded to conclude the event.
Were so excited to be hosting this family event on our East Grand Forks campus, said Dr. Dennis Bona, President of Northland Community & Technical College. The idea started with the new leadership on the base. They believe in the value of education for all members of the base, including families, so we teamed up to help them take advantage of the many opportunities and career pathways we have available at Northland.
The goal of the Saturday morning event is to introduce the full range of academic programs from Aerospace and Computer Networking to Marketing and Law Enforcement as well as hands-on training opportunities that are available within a short drive of the Grand Forks Air Force Base. Attendees will hear remarks from President Bona; Michael Ortiz, US Air Force Veteran & current NCTC Practical Nursing student; and Steven Gander, East Grand Forks Mayor. For those interested in enrolling, Northland will be waiving the $20 fee for any service member or family member who applies online at the event.
“Education is a powerful tool for our military community, said Chief Master Sergeant Brian C. Thomas of the Grand Forks Air Force Base. It enhances our Airmen’s mission readiness, increases our resiliency, assists our spouses in career opportunities, and increases our military families flexibility. We are grateful institutions of higher learning are working to develop and foster community ties for the benefit of our military community.”
Depending on the turnout and interest from the military community, Bona sees opportunities to create academic and training opportunities specifically tailored to the needs and schedules of the base. As a major employer in the region, Bona said the college would work with the base in the same way it has worked with other major employers like DigiKey, American Crystal Sugar, and Philadelphia Macaroni, where NCTC created specific programs to train employees for specific careers.
If there is sufficient interest in a specific area of study, Bona said, we could offer courses at a specific time or place that fits their schedule. The military is an employer in our area, and they have a need and we want to help fill that need. We are a military friendly educational institution. We both honor and value their service to our country, and we really look forward to a deeper and more meaningful relationship.
Interested participants are encouraged to register early, as space is limited for this free event. Online registration is now open at www.northlandcollege.edu/militaryday.