July, 2008 National Park Community College was notified by the U.S. Department of Education that they were recipients of a five-year (2008-2013) development grant under the Strengthening Institutions Program authorized under Title III. Grant funding, approximately $350,000 per year, will go toward development and enhancement of nursing and health science programs on the NPCC campus. NPCC’s project, Enhancing Opportunities, includes:

Development of new (nursing assistant [CNA], Respiratory Therapist, Pharmacy Technician) curricula consistent with industry, educational, and professional standards.
Addition of new programs in CNA, Respiratory Therapy, and Pharmacy Technician.
Implementation of redesigned RN and PN programs with online and evening/weekend options.
Acquisition of new state-of-the-art instructional equipment in new on-campus clinical labs and classrooms.

Overall Project Goals and Performance Indicators include:

Development of educational opportunities in the areas of certified nursing assistant, respiratory therapist, and pharmacy technician.
Increased numbers of licensed respiratory therapists.
Increased number of pharmacy technicians.
Expansion of opportunities in the RN and PN programs.
Increase in enrollment within the RN and PN programs.
RN program evening/weekend section.
Student retention and student success.
Increase in graduation rates.
Selected online nursing courses.
State-of-the-art nursing and health science labs and classrooms.
Increased attention to gerontological nursing within the RN curriculum.
PN curricular review.

Title III Staff currently housed in the Frederick Dierks Building:

Project Director:	Linda Castaldi, M.N.Sc., R.N.	501-760-4288	FD207
Activity Coordinator:	Gine Messersmith, BS, M.Ed.	501-760-4310	FD241
Respiratory Specialist:	Mel Welch, RRT-NPS, M.P.H.	501-760-4279	FD229
Pharmacy Tech Specialist	Lindsay Serbousek, A.A.S.,CPhT	501-760-6416	FD241
CNA Nursing Specialist:	Nicole Reynolds, B.S.N., R.N.	501-760-4322	FD242
Secretary:	Vandasha Hill, A.A.S.	501-760-4160	FD245