Northland Pioneer College Friends and Family Inc

NPC Friends and Family is committed to advancing the mission of Northland Pioneer College through the provision of scholarships that empower students across Navajo and Apache Counties to transform their lives through education. See the STUDENT TESTIMONIALS below to learn about some of our amazing students!

Please join us this year in commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Northland Pioneer College (NPC)! Our goal is to raise $50,000.00 in scholarships for NPC students: the most dedicated, courageous college students you will ever encounter. Poverty is endemic across the college's service area, yet our students are determined to empower themselves through education! Through increased job opportunities and earning power, NPC graduates are literally breaking the cycle of poverty, improving income, reducing dependence on welfare programs, and serving as an example to friends and family members that a college degree is attainable. Because NPC's per-credit tuition is the lowest of any college in Arizona's system, there is nowhere your gift will go further or help more students achieve their goal of a college education! Thank you for all you do to support NPC students!

- Betsyann Wilson, Executive Director, NPC Friends & Family

Testimonials

• Melanie Francis - NPC Medical Assistant Major
Melanie lives in Chinle Arizona and travels over 700 miles each week to attend classes at NPC's Winslow location. She has two older brothers. One of whom works as a medical assistant on the San Carlos reservation. She was able to shadow him at work one day and it piqued her interest in Medical Assisting. She was inspired to start taking classes at NPC. Knowing her family was not financially stable, she worried about the expenses and added financial burden. It made it harder for her to decide to come to college. Melanie has now earned several scholarships through NPC Friends and Family and will graduate with an associate degree from NPC this May. She plans to intern at Sage Memorial Hospital in Ganado Arizona and obtain her Medical Assistant certification.

"It was hard because going to school felt so good, but it was also so negative knowing the financial toll it took on my family. Not knowing if we would have money to make it another week and not go hungry. With the help of scholarships, I don't have to worry about having enough money to come to school each week and I can focus on my studies. It's taken a huge weight off. It feels good to be doing this now." - Melanie Francis

• Jillian Henry - NPC Health Sciences Major
Jillian grew up in the White Mountain Apache tribe and attends classes at NPC's Whiteriver Center. She knows what it means to struggle. She also knows the value of education. She gave birth to her first son during her freshman year of college and had to give up going to NPC to support him. She fought her way back. By working low-paying jobs and putting on yard sales, she saved every extra cent she could to go back to school. Jillian will earn an Associate of Science degree in Medical Assisting from NPC. After being diagnosed with type-2 diabetes in 2020 she was motivated to advocate for the health of others and plans to enroll in ASU's College of Health Solutions and earn a bachelor's degree in health sciences.

"The Scholarships that I have earned have helped me tremendously with buying my books, helping with living expenses, rent, and electricity, water, feeding my family. When I started taking classes at NPC I didn't have a job and it was difficult to make ends meet. I couldn't have gotten to where I am today without the help and support." - Jillian Henry

• Camille Shumway - NPC Liberal Arts/General Studies Major
Camille is the middle child of nine and attends classes at NPC's Snowflake campus. She was not always a fan of school. In sixth grade, her family opted for homeschooling. During her freshman year of high school, her mother encouraged her to start taking college-level courses through NPC. With NPC's personalized attention and small class sizes, along with the dedication of the faculty and support staff, she slowly began to love learning. Camille will graduate with her Associate of Arts degree from NPC this spring among the top of her class. She plans to continue her studies, earn her bachelor's degree, and eventually go to law school.

"To put it simply…without the support of scholarships, I would not be here. I would not be going to college. I don't have to worry about how I'm going to pay for my education as much. Scholarships have made it possible for me to get an education without student loans. Having the support of scholarships and knowing that people believe in me motivates me to do better." - Camille Shumway

• Jaden Martinez - NPC Nursing Major
Jaden is enrolled in NPC's nursing program. He is a first-generation college student and after grieving the loss of his brother, decided that he wanted a career helping others and working to save people's lives...