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Northwest News
NORTHWEST EARNS HIGH MARKS IN NATIONAL SATISFACTION SURVEY
Eighty percent of freshmen and juniors at Northwest say they are satisfi ed with their experience at the University and would choose it again if they could repeat their college careers. The fi gures were among the fi ndings of the 2021 Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, which is distributed to freshmen and juniors every two years. On all scales and all but two questions, Northwest achieved higher student satisfaction rates than national and regional peer comparison groups. In comparison to Northwest, 78 percent of students at regional peers and 77 percent of students surveyed nationally said they would choose to attend their respective institutions again. Dr. Allison Strong Hoffmann ’01, ’03, Northwest’s assistant vice president of admissions and student success, said the report provides a snapshot of the comprehensive educational experience the University offers to students advancing their education. “The Ruffalo Noel Levitz student satisfaction survey provides an excellent opportunity for Northwest to learn about what is important to our students and how satisfi ed they are with the instruction and services we offer,” Hoffmann said. “The results confi rm what we see day in and day out – Northwest students feel supported both in and out of the classroom, leading to our enrollment growth, high retention and persistence.”
RANKINGS, RESEARCH PLACE NORTHWEST AMONG MOST AFFORDABLE A recent affordability analysis conducted by the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) – a nonprofi t organization whose mission commits to closing equity gaps in postsecondary attainment for all students – listed Northwest as one of only fi ve four-year institutions in Missouri that are classifi ed as affordable. In fact, while NCAN reports that only 23 percent of 490 public four-year institutions nationally are considered affordable, it lists Northwest as affordable in each of the years reviewed since 2014-15. CHEMISTRY PROGRAM EARNS CERTIFICATION FROM INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY The American Chemical Society Committee on Professional Training has added Northwest to its listing of approved institutions, and students who complete the course curriculum now receive certifi cation in conjunction with their degree. Northwest’s ACS-certifi ed major in chemistry prepares up-and-coming professional chemists for careers in research institutions, industry or the pursuit of graduate studies. MILITARY FRIENDLY FOR 11TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR Victory Media, a media entity for military personnel transitioning into civilian life, named Northwest a Military Friendly School for 2022-2023 in recognition of its commitment to embracing military service members, veterans and their family members and delivering the best experience for military students.
ONLINE MBA PROGRAM RANKS HIGH ON GLOBAL LIST Northwest’s online Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree ranks among the best in the Midwest, according to CEO Magazine’s 2022 Global MBA Rankings. The magazine, which has showcased top business schools since 2012, ranks Northwest at No. 87 in the world. It is the only Missouri institution to appear in the magazine’s Global Online MBA ranking. Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, Northwest’s online MBA programs help students complete a general degree or specializations in business analytics, human resource management, management and marketing. Starting in the fall, Northwest will begin offering specializations in accounting, fi nance, geographic information systems (GIS) and healthcare administration. NORTHWEST RECORDS HIGHEST SPRING ENROLLMENT IN INSTITUTION’S HISTORY
Coming off a fall semester during which Northwest recorded its highest-ever enrollment, the University also reported the highest spring enrollment in its history. Th e University’s spring census showed overall enrollment increased by 5 percent from a year ago to a headcount of 7,218. In the undergraduate sector, fi rst-time freshman enrollment was up 28.6 percent, and the number of fi rst-time transfer students was up by 27.8 percent. Additionally, the University’s graduate student enrollment increased by 27.7 percent to 2,602 students, breaking an institutional record set last spring. Further, Northwest recorded an overall fall-to-spring retention rate of 91.6 percent, setting a new institutional high for that mark. Th e spring semester enrollment counts followed a semester during which Northwest reported an overall headcount of 7,870 students at its fall census, making that total the highest overall enrollment in the institution’s 116-year history. When factoring students enrolled in Online Professional courses, which off er multiple starts each semester, Northwest ended the fall 2021 semester with an all-time record enrollment of 8,022.
5,735
2018 6,336
2019 6,431
2020 6,877
2021 7,129
2022
REGENTS APPROVE MARTINDALE HALL RENOVATION One of Northwest’s oldest buildings is undergoing changes this summer after the Board of Regents approved a $1.3 million plan to renovate the third floor of the building. The project targets a 4,260-square-foot section that includes multipurpose space and storage areas. The upgrades will provide academic laboratory spaces to support human services and school counseling programs as well as faculty and staff offices. The project is the first phase of plans to update the building, which was last renovated during the mid-1970s and now serves as the home of Northwest’s School of Health Science and Wellness. Martindale Hall opened in 1926 and includes Martindale Gymnasium. This spring, the Missouri General Assembly approved an additional $8.5 million for the project.
7 FACULTY MEMBERS RETIRE
Seven faculty members with a combined 190 years of service to Northwest retired after the spring semester and were honored April 29 during the University’s annual faculty retirement ceremony. Pictured left to right are Tom Hardee, a senior instructor of English with 21 years of service; Fred Lamer, an assistant professor of mass media with 40 years of service; Jacquie Lamer, a senior instructor of mass media with 21 years of service; Dr. Theo Ross, a professor of theatre with 44 years of service; Dr. Stephen Town, a professor of music with 36 years of service; and Dr. Pamela Shannon, a professor of music with 20 years of service. Not pictured is Dr. Vicki Seeger, an associate professor of professional education with eight years of service.
2021 Tower yearbook cover
2021 TOWER AMONG BEST COLLEGIATE YEARBOOKS IN NATION
Northwest’s Tower yearbook was recognized in the spring by Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) as one of four Pacemaker Award recipients, crowning it as one of last year’s best college yearbooks in the country. “This just reaffirms to me that we have one of the strongest media programs in the country, and when you are beating schools with two, three or even four times our enrollment and money, it means even more,” said Steven Chappell, the director of student publications at Northwest. “These students work hard to produce quality journalism week after week and year after year. It’s so gratifying to see their hard work rewarded at the national level.” The 2021 Tower was the publication’s 100th edition. The yearbook commemorated its centennial edition through historic photos mixed with photos and stories recapping the 2020-2021 academic year and campus life. Both the Tower yearbook, now an 11-time Pacemaker recipient, and The Northwest Missourian newspaper, a two-time Pacemaker recipient, are members of the ACP Hall of Fame.
ADANIN RELATES RESEARCH OF DISAPPEARING TROPICAL GLACIERS TO SPORT, RECREATION
Dr. Nina Adanin, an assistant professor of recreation, is the co-creator of an ongoing research project documenting disappearing glaciers in tropical regions – and she is helping students better understand the impacts on the environment and the sport and recreation field in the process. In cooperation with a French glaciologist at the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) and a team of scientists, Adanin examines the disappearance of tropical glaciers in Colombia and Uganda. She became involved with the expedition after recognizing the effect of climate change on all aspects of people’s lives. “Sport facilities need to adapt to new changes,” Adanin said. “It’s hard to have seasons outside like before with a temperature rise. It’s essential to recognize these changes in sports and recreation, find a way to handle the uncertainty and be prepared.”
Dr. Nina Adanin, an assistant professor of recreation, displays a Bearcat flag while conducting research of disappearing tropical glaciers in Colombia and Uganda.
Dr. Karen Britt supervises the conservation of mosaics in a 6th-century Byzantine church at Petra, Jordan.
BRITT’S WORK WITH MOSAICS EARNS RECOGNITION OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Dr. Karen Britt, an assistant professor of art history at Northwest, recently was featured in an issue of National Geographic’s “100 Wonders of the World” for her work with rare Huqoq mosaics in Israel synagogues. Her work as a mosaics specialist with the Huqoq Excavation Project has taken her to Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan and Egypt. “This recognition, for us as a team, underscores the rare quality of the mosaics and broader importance of the project,” Britt said.
OFFUTT PUBLISHES 16TH BOOK
Jason Offutt, a senior instructor of mass media, in January published his 16th book and his first horror fiction, “The Girl in the Corn.” The book features a young man who must work alongside a fairy to distinguish good from evil to save the world. While the novel communicates an unsettling message that evil may be found where you least expect it, the Orrick, Missouri, native drew upon his farmhand upbringing to construct an eerie setting for his characters. Publishing books has earned Offutt credibility that he uses in the classroom to keep students engaged, and he has a collection of works to back up his instruction. He uses his summer and winter breaks to write as he prioritizes teaching during the academic year.
“I’ve got my characters firmly in my head, and I just let my characters do what they do, and the story unfolds for me as I’m writing it, just as it unfolds for the reader,” he said. “It’s really cool not to know what’s gonna happen next until it happens.” STUDENT BECOMES PUBLISHED ILLUSTRATOR FOR BOOK ABOUT ‘HARD THINGS’
Hannah Cline, who completed her bachelor’s degree in graphic design during the spring, is a published illustrator after collaborating with an author on her personal story about battling cancer. Cline collaborated with Maryville author Vera Holder by creating the illustrations for the short story, “I Can Do Hard Things,” which was published in January. The book, based on Holder’s life, depicts a high-school-aged son with special needs and how he and his mother navigate the challenges they face after she is diagnosed with cancer. Cline became aware of the opportunity to illustrate the book after Holder sought help from Northwest’s Department of Fine and Performing Arts. Soon they began meeting and Cline received Holder’s manuscript in exchange for a few preliminary sketches. Holder identified 15 illustrations she wanted Cline to complete. After starting the process last November, the author and illustrator met in January, and Cline presented Holder with all of her illustrations. Cline was unsure when the book would be published and waited for communication from Holder with news. Unfortunately, Cline would not receive that message as Holder died Feb. 5. “The experience with Vera was incredible,” Cline said. “I actually did not think it was going to be published. One day I was just like ‘Let’s check,’ because I knew it was going to be published on Amazon, and it was there. I really hope she got the chance to see her book published.”
The finished book includes 12 illustrations – all drawn by Cline. As a third-generation Bearcat, Cline was drawn to Northwest through her family ties. Cline’s maternal grandparents, Richard Partlow ’68 and Judith Clark Partlow ’69; parents, Christopher Cline ’97 and Sarah Partlow Cline ’98; and numerous aunts and uncles attended Northwest.
PERFORMANCE AND EXCELLENCE
With “a heavy, yet lightened Bearcat heart,” Dr. John Jasinski announced his departure this spring from Northwest after 13 years as its president and a total of 28 years of dedicated service to the University.
After starting his career in 1986 at Northwest as a faculty member in what was then the Department of Mass Communication, Dr. J – as he is widely known – became a department chair and then an associate provost. He left Northwest in 2001 but found his way back in 2009 when he was named Northwest’s 10th president after the retirement of Dr. Dean L. Hubbard. Denise Jasinski ’90, John’s wife of 38 years, meanwhile worked for eight years as a tutor and academic coordinator with Northwest’s Upward Bound program and actively volunteered in the Maryville community before becoming the University’s fi rst lady. Now, the Jasinskis leave the University having helmed it through an era of unparalleled success, despite the challenges of dwindling state funding, changing demographics and societal views that threaten traditional higher education, and a global pandemic. Th is summer, the Jasinskis are transitioning to new roles in Springfi eld, Missouri, where John is becoming interim provost at Missouri State University. Additionally, John is joining the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) as a senior consultant.
John and Denise Jasinski stand in front of the Gaunt House with one of their dogs, Ruby.
CELEBRATED SUCCESS
During his inauguration remarks in October 2009, John spoke of his drive to celebrate Northwest’s successes while also looking to the future – and not just surviving but thriving. “That’s been kind of a theme all along,” John said. “I said if we perform – it doesn’t matter what our peers and competitors are doing – if we just take care of ourselves and perform, we’re going to be OK. And I think we’ve proven that.” Without question, Northwest has performed – and thrived – during the Jasinski presidency. With an eye on fiscal responsibility, the University generated $87.7 million in cost containment and efficiencies while increasing alternative revenues and completing more than $106.7 million in renovations, infrastructure improvements and new construction on the campus through innovative thinking and partnerships. Today, Northwest is the most efficient among state universities for state appropriations per degree and certificate granted, according to a 2021 report released by the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. Northwest has experienced enrollment growth, including record marks during the last two years and surpassed more than 8,000 students for the first time in the institution’s history at the conclusion of the fall 2021 semester. Northwest is the only public institution in the state with enrollment growth during the last five years. The University has achieved record retention rates – reaching a high of 78 percent in 2018 – and a graduation rate in the 95th percentile of peers. It stands among the top 23 percent of the most affordable colleges and universities in the nation. It’s also rated the best university in Missouri when it comes to graduates securing jobs within six months of completing a degree. Northwest has earned the national Excellence and Innovation Award from AASCU during five of the last seven years in the categories of sustainability and sustainable development, international education, teacher education, student success and college completion, and, most recently last fall, campus pandemic response. During the pandemic, Northwest maintained operations with minimal disruption and kept a focus not just on student success but on employment, refusing to invoke layoffs, furloughs or reductions.
Top right: In September 2012, President Jasinski flew with the Blue Angels as one of three “key influencers” while representing the higher education sector.
Clockwise from top center, President Jasinski congratulated Bearcat quarterback Brady Bolles after the football program won its 2015 NCAA Division II national championship. Whether giving high-fives at a convocation welcoming new students or handing out donuts as students traveled across the campus to classes, Dr. J focused on helping students feel welcomed and valued at Northwest.
INNOVATION, PERFORMANCE, ACCOLADES AND MOMENTS during the Jasinski presidency
MAY 21, 2009 The Board of Regents selected Dr. John Jasinski, executive vice president and chief academic and operating officer of Northwood University in Midland, Michigan, to be Northwest’s 10th president. SEPT. 30, 2009 President Jasinski and and then-women’s head basketball coach Gene Steinmeyer competed with other local personalities for the “Hottest Guy in Maryville” title, a hot-wings-eating contest sponsored by Maryville radio station. DEC. 3, 2009 More than 150 people gathered on the lawn of the Thomas Gaunt House for the first holiday tree lighting ceremony hosted by the Jasinski family.
FEB. 16, 2010 Thirty-five students joined President Jasinski on a trip to the state capitol in Jefferson City to speak with legislators and gain support for Northwest. Jasinski testified to the Missouri House Appropriations Committee, “Make no mistake, we will continue to mine every dollar that is not productive and question every process, program and person that is not serving our purpose. But we want you to know that our mission is to deliver on our heritage of innovation to address the uncertain economic times before us.”
APR. 18, 2011 Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS Shoes, appeared at the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts as part of the Student Activities Council’s lecture series. Ten lucky Northwest students received a free pair of TOMS shoes through a social media contest that challenged students to capture photos with President Jasinski and first lady Denise Jasinski wearing their TOMS shoes.
OCT. 11, 2011 Northwest announced its fall enrollment as 7,225 students, setting a school record for the fourth consecutive year.
SEPT. 25, 2012 The City of Maryville and Northwest announced a joint partnership to begin engineering design on the Fourth Street Improvement Project, which sought to improve the corridor along West Fourth Street from Main Street west to the University entrance near North Dunn Street.
FEB. 28, 2013 President Jasinski appeared as the “Delivery Man” in Northwest’s production of “Barefoot in the Park.”
MAY 1, 2015 Northwest announced the findings of a third-party economic impact study that showed the University generated $617.5 million in added regional income – the equivalent of creating 9,465 new jobs – in fiscal year 2014. Moreover, the University saw the successful conclusion of its Forever Green comprehensive campaign last year with more than $55 million raised against a $45 million goal. The seven-year fundraising campaign produced the $21 million Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse and the $11.4 million Agricultural Learning Center. Beyond that, of the $130 million raised by Northwest since its founding in 1905, more than $73 million has come to the University since Jasinski’s presidency began in 2009. Then, there are the more than 60 national championships claimed by Northwest in academics and athletics during Jasinski’s term. “It’s what you’re supposed to do as an organization,” John said. “We have challenges and opportunities. We have blind spots. But at the end of the day you’re supposed to mature and improve.” The Jasinskis also are quick to point out that Northwest’s success during the last decade-plus is a result of teamwork. “It’s really about a group of people, a community of people, who have allowed the University and the community to grow and flourish,” John said. “Our mission was to better the University and the community. Mission accomplished. I’m so proud of that.”
WELCOMING TO ALL
From the start of the presidency, the Jasinskis focused on building relationships and instilling an environment at Northwest that is welcoming to all. For Denise, that started with overseeing the restoration and updates to the Thomas Gaunt House – the 152-year-old president’s residence on the campus grounds in Maryville. One of the finishing touches ahead of John’s inauguration in the fall of 2009 was a concrete staircase and sidewalk leading directly from Fourth Street to the porch and door facing the thoroughfare fronting the Northwest campus. Throughout the Jasinskis’ tenure at the University, they invited University groups
and community members inside the home. “People would say to us, ‘You just opened up your house to everybody,’” Denise said, sitting at the dining table with John during an April afternoon. “This house, the history of this place, is so cool. I’m glad and humbled and honored that I was able to have a small fingerprint in this house and bringing it back to life.” When Denise introduced herself at meetings and community functions, she liked to say, “I’m Denise Jasinski, and I’m a full-time volunteer for Northwest Missouri State University.” But beyond the Northwest campus, she served as volunteer executive director of the Maryville Downtown Improvement Organization, helping with the development of an organizational structure, fundraising and project coordination for a downtown park. She also helped restore an iconic fountain that was relocated to the park after it had stood for decades on the east side of the Administration Building. Denise also volunteered with North Star Advocacy Center, a resource for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and at St. Gregory Barbarigo Parish in Maryville. “I have a lot of energy to give,” she said. “There are always places that can use that extra support. So volunteerism has been something that’s probably my biggest legacy. I appreciate that I’ve had the opportunity throughout my life to fill that volunteer role.”
Opposite page, top: John and Denise Jasinski toured the campus’s underground tunnel system as part of the University’s ongoing work to evaluate and upgrade its infrastructure.
Opposite page, bottom: President Jasinski and Northwest began a partnership in 2012 with the city of Maryville, represented by thenMayor Glenn Jonagan ’87 and City Manager Greg McDanel ’02, to transform Fourth Street into an inviting link from downtown to the campus entrance.
Top: President Jasinski often stepped off the stage during Northwest commencement ceremonies to ask questions of graduating students and invite them to share stories about their experiences at the University. AUG. 31, 2015 The Robert and Virginia Foster Fitness Center, the result of a complete renovation of the former Foster Aquatic Center, opened to students and employees in conjunction with the start of the fall trimester.
SEPT. 1, 2015 Northwest celebrated the grand opening of its School of Health Science and Wellness at Martindale Hall. The multi-disciplinary structure of the new school was designed to help the University strengthen health and wellness programming by consolidating existing programs and adding new and innovative programming that mapped to regional and national needs.
DEC. 2, 2015 Gov. Jay Nixon visited Northwest to announce more than $6.8 million in improvements made possible through the state’s Building Affordability initiative to support public colleges and universities. The University invested the funds in electrical system repairs at the B.D. Owens Library, Everett Brown Education Hall, Martindale Hall, the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building and the Jon T. Rickman Electronic Campus Support Center in addition to the replacement of all windows at the Administration Building, Brown Hall, Colden Hall and the Thomas Gaunt House.
JAN. 29, 2016 Northwest and the Missouri Army National Guard signed an agreement to establish the Guard Officer Leadership Development (GOLD) Program, a partnership that develops commissioned officers and provides a pathway to degree completion.
APRIL 29, 2016 With the Board of Regents’ approval, Northwest created an Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and a vice president position to facilitate a University-wide responsibility and accountability for enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
AUG. 18, 2016 Northwest celebrated the grand-opening of its new NorthwestKansas City location at the Northland Innovation Campus in collaboration with the city of Gladstone.
In addition to their attendance at numerous University activities, it was not uncommon to spot the Jasinskis walking their dogs, Ruby and Daisy, on the campus and engaging in conversation with others. John regularly chatted with students during his walks between the Gaunt House and his office in the Administration Building. He sometimes distributed donuts to students as they crossed the campus between classes or pizza during evenings at the B.D. Owens Library. Students regularly sought him for selfies at convocations, graduations and other campus events. For John – who grew up in Flint, Michigan, as the youngest of four children – and Denise, who was the third of 12 kids in her family, their commitment to showing care for others is an extension of the way they were raised. They took pride in serving as caretakers of Northwest. “We both come from backgrounds where family is very important and family has never been just blood,” Denise said. Reminiscing about the couple’s transition from their native Michigan to Maryville when John began his faculty career, she added, “There has been something that has continued to keep us drawn and planted right here. There are other people who kind of take you in as family, and that’s huge. I think we experienced that firsthand, so we wanted to make sure we advanced that to other people, students, even if they’re not planning to make their lifetime here.” That sentiment was quickly evident to Dr. Katy Strickland, an associate professor of music and the director of athletic bands at Northwest, when she met John and Denise during the summer of 2013. Strickland was settling into her office at the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building and preparing to begin her first fall with the Bearcat Marching Band. The Jasinskis were walking Ruby on the campus when they decided to stop inside the building and introduce themselves to the new band director. Strickland was surprised by the gesture and had no idea who the couple were when they appeared at her door, but the encounter was typical of the Jasinskis’ eager-to-welcome demeanors, and Strickland appreciated it. “It was just so warm and friendly; it wasn’t artificial,” she said. “He, honestly, was just wanting to come in and say hi and meet the new person and be welcoming, and then off he went with his dog. And it was just kind of an opening to what ended up to be a really, truly great professional relationship with somebody who was an unbelievable supporter of the arts.” Similarly, Dr. Rick Toomey, an associate professor of chemistry, and Dr. Deb Johnson Toomey ’94, ’96, an associate professor of marketing, said their recollections of John will always be centered on the graciousness he showed to others. “From our first meeting until now, John has always made us feel like we were important, that he valued our perspectives and that we mattered as both faculty and people,” Rick said. “John was concerned with our well-being, greeting us with a smile, a handshake or a hug, treating us as peers and colleagues. He was always aware of our efforts and excited to celebrate our accomplishments, be it in a crowd or oneon-one.” The caring relationships he and Denise formed with the Bearcat family are one of the things John says he is most proud of when he reflects on his time at Northwest. “Without that, I don’t know that you can accomplish anything,” he said. “Life is about relationships, and if the world would just take time to get to know each other, we might be in a little bit better spot than we are today.” Each of Northwest’s nine previous presidents have left their marks on the University in unique ways. For John Jasinski – when alumni, employees, future students and others look back at his presidency decades from now – they’ll see a 13-year span of consistent, high performance.
SEPT. 15, 2016 Northwest commemorated the opening of five professional schools with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open houses. The result of an academic restructuring, Northwest introduced the School of Computer Science and Information Systems, the Melvin D. and Valorie G. Booth School of Business, the School of Education, the School of Communication and Mass Media, and the School of Agricultural Sciences.
JAN. 4, 2017 Northwest announced its firstever endowed professorship, the Dennis C. Dau Endowed Professorship in Instrumental Music, through a $500,000 cash gift honoring Dennis Dau, a 1970 and 1971 graduate, to support a faculty member in instrumental music. AUG. 1, 2017 Northwest completed a remodel of the Dean L. Hubbard Center for Innovation, allowing the School of Agricultural Sciences to move into the space from its previous headquarters on the top floor of Valk Center.
SEPT. 12, 2017 U.S. News and World Report released its list of “2018 Best Colleges,” which ranked Northwest No. 21 among top public regional universities in the Midwest and placed it as the top moderately selective regional university in Missouri for the third time in four years.
OCT. 20, 2017 Northwest dedicated the completed expansion of its alumni center and its renaming as the Michael L. Faust Center for Alumni and Friends as the result of a $1 million gift from the Suzanne and Walter Scott Foundation of Omaha, Nebraska, in honor of 1974 alumnus and longtime Northwest Foundation Board Member Michael Faust. OCT. 12, 2018 Hundreds gathered to step inside the finished Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse for the first time as Northwest hosted a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the facility. Northwest donors committed nearly $14 million to build the $21 million facility.
OCT. 24, 2019 Northwest launched the public phase of the Forever Green campaign with a $45 million fundraising goal.
JAN. 9, 2020 Northwest was one of five institutions in the nation selected to join the AASCU’s pilot cohort focused on student success strategies and supported by a grant funded through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
– Denise Jasinski
Almost daily, President Jasinski walked across the Northwest campus to his offi ce in the Administration Building from the Thomas Gaunt House, the 152-yearold home that has served as the residence for all 10 of the University’s presidents and their families.
During their tenure at Northwest, John and Denise have raised four children, pictured when John began his presidency in 2009 and more recently. They are Matt ’10, Joe, Leah and Lucas.
MARCH 18, 2020 One day after gathering faculty and staff leaders in the J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom to discuss the institution’s response and direction during the COVID-19 pandemic, Northwest announced it was moving courses online for the remainder of the semester to help minimize the spread of the virus and limit academic disruptions.
AUG. 19, 2020 After four days of move-in and Advantage activities, the fall semester offi cially began and Northwest resumed in-person classes on the campus for the fi rst time since the previous spring, while the COVID-19 pandemic continued.
SEPT. 17, 2020 Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Northwest’s fall census showed a total headcount of 7,267 students, making it the highest enrollment in the institution’s 115-year history. NOV. 2, 2020 Northwest celebrated the successful launch of its esports program and a new gaming space with a ribbon-cutting in the Student Union.
NOV. 11, 2020 Gov. Mike Parson, Maj. Gen. Levon Cumpton, the adjutant general of the Missouri National Guard, and Missouri Rep. Allen Andrews attended as Northwest celebrated the remodeled top fl oor of Valk Center and rededicated it as Veterans Commons.
JULY 30, 2021 Northwest celebrated the opening of the Agricultural Learning Center, a 29,500-square-foot multipurpose facility at the R.T. Wright Farm. That night, alumni, donors and friends gathered in the Hughes Fieldhouse to celebrate the conclusion of the Forever Green comprehensive campaign, just the second in the University’s history, which exceeded its $45 million goal by raising $55,026,782. SEPT. 15, 2021 The University’s fall census showed Northwest with a headcount of 7,870 students, the most in the institution’s 116-year history. It represented an 8 percent increase from a year prior and the fourth consecutive fall that Northwest recorded an increased headcount. Northwest was the only Missouri public 4-year institution to show increased enrollment from 2016 to 2021. Further, Northwest maintained a high retention rate with 76 percent of the previous year’s freshman class – the secondhighest rate in the institution’s history – choosing to return to the University.
