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>>Theresa Bierer: One of NAU's extended campuses is celebrating a milestone and preparing to
meet the needs for tomorrow's students >>Brenda Mitchell is a part time faculty member
at Northern Arizona University's Signal Peak campus, south of Phoenix. She is teaching
this science in the elementary schools class, these students created projects for their
portfolio, science projects they'll conduct one day when they're hired as teachers.
>>Student: How many of you guys think, I'll scribble out the numbers, how many of you
guys think it's going to be a liquid? One, two, that's it, two?
>>Bierer: Northern Arizona University opened its doors at Signal Peak 15 years ago, before
that time teachers in training, like these, would move away to attend a university and
often wouldn't come back. >>Majorie Schiller: They were likely to stay
up in Flag, up in Phoenix, wherever and so it helps us keep qualified teachers that are
from the community, that understand the community, and are committed to staying here
>>Bierer: Schiller adds NAU extended campuses helps them grow their own
>>Schiller: And so the program here in our county is really important to the county and
to the students, especially the students who have families here who didn't want to leave
and move, because they wanted to finish their BAs in teaching.
>>Veronica Babb: Oh it's definitely beneficial because I mean having to travel somewhere
else would not be something that I could do, I got a full family back home, working full
time. I mean so its definitely not something that I could do, having to travel far away.
The extended campus definitely does do wonders for me
>>Bierer: Signal Peak between Phoenix and Tucson is part of Pinal County, which covers
nearly 6,000 square miles. Many welcome higher education opportunities in this rural county,
with its relatively low socio-economic status. >>Brenda Sutton: NAU's mission is to serve
the rural areas around the state and President Haeger, Fred Hurst, all of NAU is really committed
to doing that. Here in Pinal County our efforts have been to bring higher education opportunities
to all of the residents throughout Pinal County. >>Bierer: Many of the NAU students here at
CAC are studying to be teachers, but there are numerous other programs available, from
a bachelor in Business Administration and Public Agency Management. As NAU Signal Peak
celebrates 15 years, it's clear that residents of this area value the partnership.
>>Sutton: We started out with probably 30 to 40 students at the most and we're close
to 200 students and that includes of course our online population as well as our in person
population. But obviously the idea and the opportunity has caught on in Pinal County
and we're really excited that people continue to seek out NAU as a place for them to complete
their degree. >>Bierer: The growth will likely to continue
in this county which has been among the fastest in the country. Nicole Costales finished her
undergraduate degree at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and earned a graduate degree
while working for NAU here, on the Central Arizona Campus.
>>Nicole Costales: I love working with the students and seeing them start at the community
college, transition to the university and graduate. I mean it's exciting to graduate
so I get to experience that every semester and watch students grow from the very beginning
of the program to the end >>Bierer: And Costales will likely continue
to share many success stories as the university and community college work to further enhance
their relationship. They've just announced CAC2NAU, where incoming freshman are on a
clear track to a university degree. >>Sutton: And that's an opportunity where
by students are going to get early advising from the very first day they step on campus
here and we will work with them along with the community college in assisting them to
transition from the community college to NAU at a point and time when they're ready.
>>Bierer: In addition to CAC2 NAU students here in Pinal County can also benefit from
the 90/30 program where they take 90 credit hours at the community college and finish
the final 30 through Northern Arizona University.