Message from the President
Northwest students:
It is with Bearcat fervor that I welcome you and invite you to explore Northwest and all it has to offer. Please use this catalog to advance your knowledge about the array of academic opportunities available at Northwest.
At Northwest, our mission is focusing on the success of our students - every student, every day. Not only does Northwest boast a significantly higher freshman success rate than other moderately selective universities in Missouri, but our graduation rate is also considerably higher than the national average. We put a high premium on your success!
Across the nation, the buzzwords of access, affordability and accountability permeate nearly all conversations in higher education. While these terms have different meanings for different constituents, we at Northwest tend to look at these from a dual perspective: Our responsibility as an institution and your responsibility as a Bearcat.
Access: The traditional definition is that citizens have access to environments of higher education. However, we don’t believe our responsibility ends once you are admitted to Northwest. “Access” to us also means that we provide open-door policies, student-faculty ratios ensuring access to faculty, and student services designed by and for students and available at the times you need them. Your responsibility is simple: to access faculty as advisors and mentors, and to access student organizations and services. We want you to access everyone who works diligently on a daily basis with one goal in mind: to ensure the best possible learning opportunities and living environment for you.
Affordability: We consider this responsibility every day and ensure we stretch every dollar we can to its fullest. That said, we focus on the highest quality for you as we help design your experiences. It’s a balancing act and we are quite proud of what we provide - as are more than 70,000 Northwest alumni and friends! Your responsibility is to be a smart consumer and to join us in respecting our environment.
Accountability: Northwest is accountable to you, taxpayers and a range of others, and our institution is managed in a transparent environment. We expect you, too, to be accountable for your experience at Northwest. Actively engage with your professors both in and out of the classroom. Take advantage of services and academic support resources. Develop relationships with fellow students that will contribute positively to your ongoing success.
So, when Northwest says it will be THE university of choice for a comprehensive, exceptional student experience, what does that look like? It includes:
- A general education curriculum designed to deepen your understanding of the world and how to communicate this understanding. It will help you appreciate the ways in which others interpret the world around us, which will equip you for success as citizens and as professionals in your chosen disciplines;
- Majors and minors designed by faculty, who are experts in the discipline, and shaped by industry professionals to ensure your courses meet the demands of the marketplace;
- More than 180 student organizations in addition to numerous extracurricular academic, practicum and internship experiences that allow you to apply learning beyond classroom situations;
- One-on-one learning opportunities with the most committed faculty anywhere as well as other academic services such as tutors and supplemental instruction to help you succeed at an even higher rate;
- The opportunity for you to engage in the learning and living environment as much as you wish and to shape your learning plan as you progress;
- A robust intramural program and club sports in addition to an NCAA Division II athletic program featuring championship-caliber teams;
- A student employment program designed to augment your classroom learning, to provide professional development and to help keep your Northwest education affordable;
- A safe environment punctuated by a campus designated as the Missouri Arboretum that is also focused on sustainability and alternative energy; and
- Access to and interaction with passionate and committed alumni who are dedicated to advancing Northwest and ensuring learning opportunities for you.
Notice the above does not just focus on the classroom and the ensuing catalog offerings. Why? It’s because we view the academic experience as a comprehensive experience. I challenge you to truly engage in the collegiate experience. All research shows that engaged students are successful students. Better yourself. Better Bearcat Nation. Better our community. You’ll be a productive and engaged citizen and make our world a better place.
Thank you for being a Bearcat. We believe in you. You believe in yourself. Together we believe in the Green and White.
Sincerely,
Dr. John Jasinski
President