During a meeting of the Navajo County Community College District Governing Board on Tuesday, Northland Pioneer College Vice President of Student and Learning Services Mark Vest updated the board regarding the College Bound and Finish Line scholarships.

The College Bound Scholarship provides for tuition costs for qualifying students who wish to enroll at NPC while still taking high school courses. Vest explained that changes have been made to the criteria that will allow for the inclusion of all students wanting to apply for the scholarship regardless of whether they attend a traditional high school or are homeschooled.

The criteria had been that high school juniors and seniors with a qualifying grade point average could apply for the scholarship, which blocked homeschooled students who did not have the same academic assessment. “We have changed the criteria so that students who have the required grade point average or who pass the placement exams required for the courses they want to take would be eligible for the scholarship,” explained Vest.

According to Vest, during the fall semester enrollment, 30 students utilized the College Bound scholarship, amounting to a total of $8,250 provided to students. The Finish Line scholarship was awarded to 57 students in the fall and some for the spring for a total of $41,514. “We expected that fall participation would be small, but expect it will pick up in the future,” explained Vest.

The Finish Line scholarship pays tuition costs for students who are in their final semester at NPC and need assistance to complete their degree. “In some instances, like in the nursing program, if students follow our suggested path for the program they are only taking 10 or 11 credits in their final year, making them ineligible for a Pell grant,” explained Vest, adding that the scholarship allows those students to complete their education without financial hardship.

In other business Oct. 21, the board:

* Approved the revised intergovernmental agreement between NPC and Apache County to provide educational services.

* Approved revisions pertaining to policy creation and review.

* Held the first reading of policy revisions on conflict of interest, governing board meetings, general sessions and executive sessions.

The board also received informational reviews of the Show Low auto shop lease, the NPC Foundation clean audit and the policy regarding board self-evaluation.