“We focus heavily on the first four weeks of the semester,” Dr. Alley says, emphasizing the college’s intent to help students feel connected right from the start. A student organization fair introduces students to campus clubs, local businesses, and community organizations, fostering involvement. Mental health support is also a priority. NCMC has hired a full-time counselor to provide on-campus services, supplementing pre-existing relationships with local counseling centers and a four-year university’s graduate counseling program. Due to its diverse student body, the college encourages mental wellness through equally diverse creative initiatives. “Every week, we have a mental health tip that our counselor provides in our weekly newsletter. She does proactive programmatic efforts,” Dr. Alley explains. A great example of the college’s unique approaches is a recent campus-wide event. Over 400 rubber ducks wrapped in positive affirmations were hidden throughout campus to spark conversations about self-care and resilience. In addition to its creative initiatives, NCMC provides faculty and staff with a “We Care” card to connect students with essential resources. “We have it online as well so that we can immediately give students access to or provide information on resources for them, and from there we just focus on what the student needs are,” Dr. Alley says. Overall, the goal is to provide wraparound services that address students’ academic, emotional, and personal needs. From food assistance to faculty members going the extra mile for struggling students, NCMC wants every student to feel supported. Aside from the wide breadth of services the college provides, NCMC is also carefully evolving the landscape of its student campus. The college is making substantial investments in technology to 77 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 04 NORTH CENTRAL MISSOURI COLLEGE
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx