The North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) Performing Arts Department will present its final concert of the academic year on Tuesday, May 6th at 7:30 p.m. in the Harry Stern and Ella Stern Cultural Center on the NDSCS Wahpeton campus. The event is free and open to the public. 

The concert will feature the NDSCS Jazz Band and Wildcat Singers, who will return from their New York City tour to perform a wide variety of music, including rock, pop, jazz, and country. The program promises to be an upbeat, family-friendly evening of entertainment and will include a special appearance by Wildcat Willie, the college mascot. 

This event offers the community an opportunity to enjoy the musical talents of NDSCS students one final time before the semester ends. Attendees will also have the option to support the arts through a free-will donation. 

All are encouraged to attend this celebration of student talent and creativity. For more information about NDSCS Performing Arts, visit NDSCS.edu/Performing-Arts.

North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) has once again earned the prestigious College of Tomorrow award from John Deere Company, receiving the highest possible ranking of Platinum for the tenth consecutive year. The award was presented during the College’s annual John Deere Tech Advisory Committee Meeting and serves as a benchmark for excellence among the 25 John Deere Tech partner colleges in the United States. 

The College of Tomorrow program evaluates John Deere Tech programs across four ranking levels—Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze—based on criteria that reflect advancements in the agriculture equipment industry. These standards change annually, mirroring the constant growth and updates in John Deere technology and training. 

NDSCS’s continued Platinum status reflects its excellence in key areas such as program image and professionalism, student learning, instructor development, facilities, and safety. 

“Technology in agriculture doesn’t stand still—and neither do we,” said Tyler Slettedahl, the NDSCS John Deere Tech Program Coordinator. “As equipment, diagnostics, and systems evolve, we continually adapt to meet those changes head-on. The College of Tomorrow standards rise each year, and I’m proud to say our program consistently meets those expectations.” 

The NDSCS John Deere Tech program is designed to prepare entry-level technicians for John Deere dealerships across North Dakota and the surrounding region. 

Travis Heck, Service Development Manager for John Deere, praised the long-standing partnership with NDSCS. “It’s been great working with Tyler and the team at NDSCS. I’ve once again had the pleasure of presenting the Platinum award to NDSCS. College of Tomorrow is our measuring stick for what makes a great John Deere Tech program, and NDSCS continues to be one of the best, earning the highest award we offer. We actually use NDSCS as one of the benchmarks for the rest of our 25 programs across the country.” 

The John Deere Tech program at NDSCS blends advanced on-campus learning with supervised work experience at sponsoring dealerships. Students receive hands-on training with John Deere equipment and technologies, supported by both classroom instruction and real-world service experience. Graduates of the program earn an Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree. 

The program is housed on the NDSCS campus in Wahpeton, N.D. To learn more, visit NDSCS.edu/JohnDeere, or contact the Diesel Technology Department at 701-671-2330.

The North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) is gearing up for its comprehensive accreditation review by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), scheduled for April 14-15, 2025. This process is crucial, as accreditation ensures that educational institutions meet established standards of quality and effectiveness, thereby maintaining public trust and enabling students to access federal financial aid. 

NDSCS's accreditation journey began in 1971, with reaffirmations in subsequent decades. In 2002, the college adopted the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP), an accreditation model emphasizing quality and continuous improvement. Following the phasing out of AQIP in 2019, NDSCS transitioned to the Open Pathway for accreditation. This ten-year cycle focuses on quality assurance and institutional improvement, incorporating a Quality Initiative Project (QIP) tailored to the institution's needs. 

NDSCS's current QIP is the "Partnering for Success" project. The objectives for this project included assessing the current state of partnerships at the college, increasing business and industry collaborations by 3% from 2022 which totaled approximately $6.5 million, establishing and expanding partnerships across all areas of the college, and developing training activities to enhance partnership development. The results from this college-wide project were a huge success. Based on a comparison of partnership reporting between fiscal year 2022 and fiscal year 2023, there was an increase of over 200 partnerships. 288 partnerships were reported in 2022 with 496 reported for 2023. This 70% increase demonstrated that there truly was a significant opportunity to grow partnerships at the college. 

The upcoming HLC review will evaluate NDSCS based on five criteria. 
1. Mission – The institution’s mission is clear and guides its operations. 
2. Integrity: Ethical and Responsible Conduct – The institution acts ethically and responsibly. 
3. Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support – The institution provides quality education, sufficient resources, and support for students and faculty. 
4. Teaching and Learning: Evaluation and Improvement – The institution assesses and improves its educational effectiveness. 
5. Institutional Effectiveness, Resources, and Planning – The institution engages in systematic planning and uses its resources effectively. 

To document its compliance with these criteria, the college has submitted a written report called The Assurance Argument to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) which is a key component of the Accreditation Process. 

This 35,000-word document includes a detailed narrative of how the institution meets each of HLC’s five criteria. It also includes evidence files, which are supporting documents (policies, reports, meeting minutes, assessment data) that substantiate the claims made in the narrative. This document is submitted through HLC’s online Assurance System and reviewed by a peer review team. The Assurance Argument can be viewed on the college’s website at NDSCS.edu/reaccreditation. 

NDSCS must also submit a Federal Compliance Filing as part of their comprehensive evaluation materials, demonstrating compliance with specific regulations set by the U.S. Department of Education. 

Accreditation not only assures the public of an institution's commitment to quality education but also facilitates the transfer of credits among institutions and signals to prospective employers that graduates have met widely accepted educational standards. As NDSCS approaches its April 2025 review, the institution continues to enhance its educational offerings and processes, aiming to meet and exceed the HLC's standards.