Dear NTCC Faculty and Staff,

It is with great pride and anticipation that I welcome you to the 2025 Northshore Technical Community College Convocation! Today we begin another academic year filled with opportunities to transform lives, strengthen our community, and fulfill our mission. Our theme this year — “Retention is Everyone’s Business: A College-Wide Approach to Student Success” — is a call to action for all of us.

Retention is not just about keeping students enrolled; it’s about keeping them engaged, encouraged, and equipped to succeed. It’s about recognizing that every interaction — in the classroom, in the hallway, in advising, in the library, or even over email — shapes a student’s decision to persist. The responsibility doesn’t belong to one department or role. It belongs to all of us.

A college-wide approach means we will think and act as one united team, breaking down silos and building a culture where students know we believe in them. Whether you teach, advise, schedule, maintain facilities, process paperwork, or lead a program, you play an essential role in helping students see a future worth fighting for — and finish what they start.

As we launch this academic year, I challenge each of us to find at least one new way to support retention in our sphere of influence. Let’s listen more closely, respond more quickly, and encourage more consistently. Let’s create an environment where students feel they belong, are supported, and can thrive — because when they stay, they succeed, and when they succeed, our entire community wins. Together, we will make 2025 a year where every student knows that at NTCC, their success is our shared mission. Welcome to a new academic year of purpose, partnership, and progress!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jim Carlson, Chancellor

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