Students from Washington Parish and the surrounding area have experienced first hand the tremendous growth Northshore Technical Community College, Sullivan Campus has made during the past few years.

Now it appears the rest of the state is beginning to notice. Several faculty and staff members were honored recently during a luncheon involving all of the state’s community and technical colleges, highlighted by Betty McNabb being selected Outstanding Faculty Member.

Under the outstanding leadership and guidance of Chancellor William Wainwright, Northshore has transitioned from a sleepy campus with an emphasis on vocational training to a university preparatory facility. Now, because of Wainwright’s vision and the commitment of state Sen. Ben Nevers, the school offers numerous courses where credits can be transferred to four-year universities.

Additionally, associate degrees offered by NTCC are now transferrable to state institutions of higher education.

No longer are students forced to leave the parish to earn credits in their first years of college, as has been the case in the past.

NTCC, with campuses in Greensburg, Hammond and Slidell as well, has long been the region’s best-kept educational secret. But with the acceptance of credits and degrees by state colleges, Northshore, especially the Sullivan campus, is becoming an educational destination not only for Washington Parish students those but in the region as well.

Wainwright should be lauded for his accomplishments and parish residents should be proud to have such an outstanding center of learning in Bogalusa.