Fall enrollment numbers have once again remained steady at the North Dakota State College of Science. Total student enrollment is 2,957, which includes Wahpeton, Fargo, online and early entry students. This is a decrease of less than 1% compared to fall 2017 enrollment, which totaled 2,985.

The number of high school students taking Early Entry classes through NDSCS has increased by more than 16% from 714 in 2017 to 833 in 2018. Early Entry classes allow students to begin earning college credits while still fulfilling their high school requirements.

There are 1,589 full time students, while 1,368 students are enrolled part time. There are 875 students living on the NDSCS Wahpeton campus in residence halls or apartments. The enrollment data shows that the number of students from North Dakota increased 2.3% to 2,097, with 46 of the state’s 53 counties represented.

While NDSCS student retention data is not yet available, the College projects that number to increase, with more than 70% of students remaining with NDSCS to work toward degree completion.

“The projected increase in student retention is evidence that our continued focus and investment in supporting students is translating into fulfilling our mission of educating the workforce of North Dakota and this region,” said NDSCS President John Richman.

North Dakota State College of Science has received national recognition from two publications that have recently ranked the College among the nation’s best.

NDSCS was included at #14 on a list by Forbes that ranks the nation’s Top Two-Year Trade Schools. The list, revealed in an article titled “The Top 25 Two-Year Trade Schools: Colleges That Can Solve The Skills Gap”, evaluated more than 700 schools across the nation, and considered post-graduate success, affordability, completion success and student experience.

The College was also ranked #15 among public institutions in a report by the Chronicle of Higher Education in its 2018 Almanac of Higher Education titled “2-Year Colleges With the Best 3-Year Graduation Rates, 2016”. The report ranked 762 institutions based on their percentage of first-time, full-time, degree- or certificate-seeking students who entered in the fall of 2013 and graduated within three years.

“These recognitions acknowledge the great work of our employees at NDSCS,” said NDSCS President John Richman. “The rankings are an indication of our efforts to support our students’ success, and the steps we are taking to fulfill our mission of educating and training the workforce of North Dakota and the surrounding region.”

Additional Information:
Forbes.com: The Top 25 Two-Year Trade Schools: Colleges That Can Solve The Skills Gap
Forbes.com: How The Top Two-Year Trade School Ranking Is Scored
Chronicle.com: 2-Year Colleges With the Best 3-Year Graduation Rates, 2016

North Dakota State College of Science fall semester classes will begin Monday, August 20 at 4 p.m. for all students in Wahpeton, Fargo and online. Students who are not yet enrolled for fall semester can still do so by contacting the Enrollment Services office at 701-671-2521.

Opening weekend events in Wahpeton will kick off on Saturday, August 18 when residence halls open. New student orientation, an annual series of events designed to help students connect to the College community and establish positive and healthy habits, will take place from August 18-24 and will include outdoor evening activities for new and returning students.

These events will include:
• August 18, 9 - 11 p.m.: Outdoor Movie on The Oval
• August 19, 9 p.m. – 12 a.m.: Street Dance in Lot 2 north of Old Main with music provided by a disc jockey
• August 20, 9 - 11 p.m.: Glow Volleyball and other Glow Games with music on The Oval
• August 23, 9 p.m. – 12 a.m.: Street Dance in Lot 2 north of Old Main with music provided by a disc jockey

The North Dakota State College of Science and North Dakota State University have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement to better serve the research, service, educational and workforce needs of North Dakota. The two institutions share a unique combined presence in eastern North Dakota, and a cooperative spirit through which the educational interests of the state and local area are served.

“This agreement paves the way for NDSU and NDSCS to strengthen education across North Dakota by working together in areas including academic programming, operations and campus resources,” said NDSU President Dean Bresciani. “It enables us to explore additional opportunities to create academic partnerships and operating efficiencies.”

“NDSCS and NDSU have a history of cooperation and collaboration,” said NDSCS President John Richman. “This memorandum of agreement formalizes and expands that partnership, and will help us to work together to meet the area’s educational and workforce needs.”

The institutions have previously partnered in specific areas to enhance student success. Previous agreements have been outlined for:

• Pathway Program – NDSU directs appropriate students denied admission to NDSU to consider the Pathway Program, which provides an avenue for students to complete developmental coursework at NDSCS while living on NDSU’s campus and taking selected courses collaboratively at NDSU.
• Reverse Transfer – In cases where students transfer from NDSCS to NDSU before completion of their associate’s degree, the reverse transfer process allows students to transfer credits back to NDSCS for the purpose of attaining the associate’s degree.

Through this new Memorandum of Agreement, the institutions will develop transfer guides and processes to facilitate seamless transfers from NDSCS to NDSU, as well as collaborate to identify new and modify existing career and technical programming.

NDSCS and NDSU each serve a unique niche in providing educational programming to meet workforce needs, with NDSCS serving as the principal provider of sub-baccalaureate programming and NDSU providing baccalaureate and graduate programs. With a growing need for degree programs at all levels delivered in the Cass County region, the institutions recognize the need to collaborate to provide educational opportunities for students.

In addition to collaboration in academic programming, the new Memorandum of Agreement creates a path to explore collaboration for operational efficiencies and shared services.

By Red River Farm Network

Last fall, the North Dakota State College of Science Agriculture Program received nearly 100 acres of land. With support from several businesses and organizations, corn, soybeans and wheat are now growing at the college’s Ag Land Lab. NDSCS Agriculture Program Chair Craig Zimprich says students will return this summer for spraying, scouting and precision agriculture training. “They’ll learn from experts in sprayer technology about why different nozzles are used and new technologies,” says Zimprich. “Agronomists will be on hand, helping students scout crops. Also, we know there are salinity issues in the fields. So, the students will look at variability in the different crops, weed pressures and make recommendations.” Students in the program come from a variety of backgrounds. About half plan to return to the family farm, while others will go into agribusiness careers such as agronomy or marketing. Hear more about the Ag Land Lab from Zimprich in the interview below.

Listen to the interview online at www.rrfn.com. 

The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) has formally granted initial accreditation to the North Dakota State College of Science Registered Nursing programs. This includes the one-year Associate in Science in Nursing degree (ASN RN) and the two-year Associate in Applied Science degree in Registered Nursing (AAS RN).

The College’s Practical Nursing program has been accredited by the ACEN since 1991. The NDSCS Practical Nursing program is scheduled for continuing accreditation in 2019 and the Registered Nursing programs are scheduled for continuing accreditation in 2022.

According to acenursing.org, the ACEN supports the interests of nursing education, nursing practice, and the public by the functions of accreditation. Accreditation is a voluntary, peer-review, self-regulatory process by which non-governmental associations recognize educational institutions or programs that have been found to meet or exceed standards and criteria for educational quality. The monitoring of certificate, diploma, and degree offerings is tied closely to state examination and licensing rules and to the oversight of preparation for work in the profession. 

NDSCS offers three academic options for Nursing students. The Practical Nursing program is for students who are interested in pursuing a career in nursing or wish to transfer to an associate or bachelor’s program for nursing. The two-year Associate in Applied Science Registered Nursing program is available to applicants wishing to become a Registered Nurse. The Associate in Science for Nursing program is available to Licensed Practical Nurses who wish to continue their nursing education and become a Registered Nurse. In addition to its regular cohorts, NDSCS has conducted more than 30 satellite nursing programs as part of its commitment to meeting the workforce needs of rural North Dakota and the region.

To learn more about the NDSCS Nursing program visit www.ndscs.edu/nursing or call 1-800-342-4325 ext. 2521.