Northark HVAC-R students are shown installing a unit on a tiny home. These workers are in high demand. Students receive EPA Certification and can complete a technical certificate program in three semesters. (Photo courtesy of North Arkansas College)
An area community college is slated to offer three new degrees for beginning in the upcoming fall semester. Students at North Arkansas College in Harrison can now obtain Associate of Applied Science degrees in sports management, HVAC/R and hospitality.
Northark Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Matt Cardin said the new programs are resulting from repeated requests from area advisory boards and individuals who had approached President Dr. Rick Massengale over the last year. Dr. Cardin adds the programs are vetted through an internal curriculum committee, academic deans and the President’s Cabinet, and they received approval from the Board of Trustees and the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
The sports management degree was reportedly created to provide a pathway for student athletes who may not go on to compete after junior college and who want to stay in the field and pursue careers in the sports management industry including coaching, sports marketing, fitness center management or management of school, civic, college or professional sporting events.
According to Northark’s news release, the HVAC-R degree complements an existing technical certificate and leads workers into the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration field.
The college’s officials also say Harrison’s central proximity to Branson, Big Cedar Lodge, the Buffalo River and Eureka Springs makes the hospitality degree attractive to individuals who want to work in dining, lodging, travel, entertainment and events planning.
The new programs are fulfilling a goal of the newly launched 2025 Strategic Plan, which states three new programs will be launched each year. For more information on the new degrees contact Admissions at 870-391-3505 or email at admissions@northark.edu.
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