Today’s topic is a follow-up on the Student Success Fund. In October, the NOVA Educational Foundation launched the Student Success Fund. Within the first 72 hours, the Foundation received 1,300 student applications for assistance. Student requests overwhelmed the online portal, which had to be temporarily closed—a very strong signal of the level of need facing … Continued
Today’s topic is reading. As I’ve observed after each call for book recommendations, NOVA loves reading! I heard from 67 faculty and staff with a combined total of more than 90 titles. From classics to best sellers, from literature to leadership, from celebrities to colleagues, your recommendations span every genre and period. Check out the … Continued
Today’s topic is lighthouses. Yes, you read that right. Several of us from NOVA attended the annual meeting of our accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. There, we had the chance to hear opening plenary speaker, author and businessman Steve Pemberton. His remarks centered on his remarkable journey from being … Continued
Today’s topic is your holiday reading list. As I look toward a few quieter days over the upcoming winter break, I have the massive novel Wellness by Nathan Hill on my reading table. And, to keep me company on upcoming drives to meetings in Charlottesville and Roanoke, I have an even longer book, My Name … Continued
Today’s topic is transfer myths and realities. Last week, NOVA was honored to host over 120 individuals representing teams from 11 states, policymakers and foundation leaders as well as senior administrators and staff from the U.S. Department of Education at the DoE’s Raise the Bar Summit: Tackling Transfer to Increase Access, Improve Completion and Prepare … Continued
Today’s topic is the new Student Success Fund, now open for student applications. Survey after survey tells us what derails our students’ success, and you see it up close every day: our students struggle to balance paying for life with paying for college. The vast majority of NOVA Nighthawks can only take a few classes … Continued
Today’s topic is a note about the many resources available on the NOVA website and NOVAnet SharePoint site. Each month, I get anonymous questions asking for documents that are within the virtual reach of all NOVA employees. For example, this past month, I again got a question about the College organizational chart, which is updated … Continued
Today’s topic is NOVA’s new Director of Government Affairs. As you know, Dana Kauffman retired earlier this year after a remarkable career at NOVA during which he built a foundation of impactful government and community relations that greatly benefitted our college and our students. Finding our next director of government affairs was not an easy … Continued
Today’s topic relates to Hispanic Heritage Month. National Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15, and NOVA campuses have full calendars of events to honor and recognize the rich history, contributions and culture of the Hispanic community. From a discussion about the meaning of “home” to an exploration of Latin dancing to … Continued
Today’s topic is the follow-up on success by course modality that I promised during last week’s zoom. The Office of Strategic Insights (OSI), which does remarkable work, provided data on the last four fall semesters. Because this period spans the time frame from pre-pandemic to post-pandemic, it should be contextualized as such. For example, the … Continued
