It’s my joy to welcome you to the Spring 2023 edition of the Northwest Link– the newsletter we distribute at the conclusion of every fall and spring term to draw your attention to the accomplishments of the college and our colleagues. Against the backdrop of Northwest’s exciting overhaul, we have no shortage of stories to highlight the ways our faculty and staff are harnessing the influence of our institution to reach and transform our community. In this edition, you may notice the common thread of those overcoming adversity and challenges to foster a better experience for our students in ways that are both admirable and inspiring. In light of this theme, I am reminded of the words of American industrialist and business magnate, Henry Ford:
“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”
My hope is that our collective story as a campus, highlighted through the Northwest Link, will remind all of us that the winds that blow against us often afford us the opportunity to achieve more than what we thought possible.
First, we will feature a story about the wonderful ribbon cutting ceremony that we hosted on Friday, May 5, an important milestone on the journey towards our campus redevelopment. Next, you’ll read about the stellar work of Tina Ross, Associate Professor of Speech, and our most recent recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for Exemplary Teaching. We also have an inspiring profile of Martin Pham, one of our Senior Career Advisors, and the work he does to support students who have stumbled on their pathways to success and how he collaborates with resources from across the college to realign students with their academic goals. You’ll read an update on the Marine Creek Nature Discovery Center and its team of faculty, staff, and volunteers who labor diligently to render a beautiful space that improves the quality of our students’ experiences and our campus life. From here, we will highlight the realignment of our professional development through what has been a semester-long focus on the assessment of student learning—a challenge we have risen to face, ensuring we are executing our professional responsibilities with excellence. We also have a behind-the-scenes redevelopment update that unpacks the challenges of executing the demolition, construction, and metamorphosis of our campus to create state-of-the art facilities for our students. And finally, we have a photo essay about the Arrive Alive event we hosted on campus designed to help students experience and better understand the risks of hazardous driving behaviors.
These stories not only showcase our successes, but the trials we continually overcome to reach our achievements. It’s no secret that the last few years have demanded flexibility and perseverance from each of us at TCC Northwest. I could not be prouder of the work our team has been doing to face each episode of adversity as an opportunity to grow and develop. Their demonstration of positive attitudes and steadfast resilience will serve us well in the years to come, and I am excited to see what the future has in store for our college and our campus. Please enjoy Northwest Link as a snapshot of where we are in these exciting, transformative times.