Von Lawson, the new president of Northland Pioneer College, hosted May’s Good Morning Winslow meeting at the Winslow Chamber of Commerce, where he emphasized his commitment to connecting education with local opportunity. Drawing from his background in economic development, Lawson told attendees he hopes to work closely with the region’s business community to create curriculum that better prepares students for jobs within the area, rather than seeing them leave for opportunities elsewhere.
Lawson spoke of the importance of strengthening ties between the college and the communities it serves. “NPC is not the Von Lawson show,” he said. “NPC belongs to Winslow and the other nine communities with NPC campuses.” His remarks came as part of an effort to reintroduce himself to local stakeholders and reaffirm NPC’s mission as a resource for both students and the broader public.
During his talk, Lawson shared a story from a recent “Meet the President” event at the Winslow campus, where he had the chance to sit down with Mayor Birdie Cano. She expressed concern about past difficulties using NPC’s facilities for community events due to an insurance requirement that mandated organizers carry a $1 million liability policy. “That’s going to change,” Lawson told the crowd, explaining that he intends for campuses to be accessible to community members, including those who are not enrolled as students. He said community colleges should prioritize the word “community,” and encouraged people to make use of resources like the NPC library regardless of their student status.
Winslow City Councilmember Darcy McKee took a moment during the public announcements portion of the meeting to thank Lawson for his energy and dedication, praising his clear interest in serving Winslow and the surrounding region. Chance Hebert, chef and owner of Cajian Creations, a recently opened Asian-Cajun fusion restaurant in town, also spoke during the meeting. He expressed interest in collaborating with NPC to help create a culinary training course for young people. “I’d love to teach them real knife skills before they finish high school,” Hebert said.
