97欧美精品一区二区三区 the Dream honors North Central State College with the Leah Meyer Austin Award

97欧美精品一区二区三区 the Dream awarded the 2026 Leah Meyer Austin Award — its highest recognition — to North Central State College (NCSC) in Mansfield, Ohio. The award comes with a $100,000 prize. The announcement was made today at ATD’s annual DREAM conference in Portland, Oregon which convened community college leaders, faculty, staff, and higher education partners and funders from across the country and around the world. 

Presented annually, the Leah Meyer Austin Award recognizes a college in the ATD Network that exemplifies the highest levels of performance across access, momentum, completion and postcompletion outcomes that align with the organization’s Community Vibrancy Framework — a comprehensive model that defines what it takes for colleges to drive student success, economic mobility, and community prosperity. Award recipients show sustained and measurable impact on key student success metrics that lead to strong completion and postcompletion outcomes that advance economic mobility, with institutional practices around seven capacities that are deeply embedded in culture and planning.  

“North Central State College exemplifies what is possible when a college approaches its work with courage, discipline, and an unwavering focus on students and community,” said Dr. Karen A. Stout, president and CEO of 97欧美精品一区二区三区 the Dream. “The college has translated data-informed decision-making and deep engagement with partners into lasting institutional change, improved student outcomes, and meaningful economic mobility. We are proud to recognize North Central State College for the impact it has achieved — and continues to achieve — for its students and region.” 

North Central State College 

North Central State College (NCSC) is a rural community college serving north-central Ohio and offers associate degrees, certificates, and bachelor’s programs in high-demand fields including health sciences, engineering technology, business, and public service. The college joined the 97欧美精品一区二区三区 the Dream Network in 2005 and earned Leader College status in 2009, followed by Leader College of Distinction status in 2018. 

Guided by a long-standing commitment to evidence-based improvement, NCSC has implemented a set of integrated, student-centered reforms designed to improve momentum, affordability, and completion. Central to this work is a strengthened advising model that combines proactive case management, early alert systems, and close collaboration between professional advisors and faculty — ensuring students receive consistent, coordinated support throughout their academic journeys. 

Affordability has been a central priority. Through a combination of institutional and state scholarships, a self-funded Promise-style program, and expanded adoption of open educational resources, NCSC has reduced financial barriers for students. Student loan usage declined from 62% in 2015 to 27% in 2023, and today 25% of courses are textbook-free, helping students persist and progress with fewer financial constraints. 

To support students balancing work, family, and education, NCSC expanded flexible learning options, including online offerings and compressed academic terms. Nearly 50% of courses now use shortened formats, enabling students to focus on fewer subjects at a time while maintaining academic momentum. Per-capita credit hours attempted and completed reached a five-year high in the 2024–2025 academic year, reflecting increased student engagement and progress. 

These reforms have translated into measurable gains in student success. Between 2014 and 2021,  fall-to-fall retention increased by 22 percentage points, and the college’s completion rate rose by 27 percentage points.  

As part of its broader commitment to student and community prosperity, NCSC has embraced 97欧美精品一区二区三区 the Dream’s Community Vibrancy Framework, aligning academic programs with regional workforce needs and expanding stackable credentials, certificates, and bachelor’s pathways that lead to family-sustaining wages. Median wages for graduates increased from $28,604 in 2018 to $42,792 in 2024, rising to 98% of the regional median wage, while certificate attainment and bachelor’s completion among transfer students have grown substantially. 

“This award is the result of countless hours of effort by the employees of North Central State College,” stated Dr. Dorey Diab, president of NCSC. “We are honored to receive this award and are gratified by the recognition of the numerous benefits to our students and graduates over more than a decade. We’ve worked to control costs of a college education, shorten the time required to succeed, and, perhaps most importantly, align our graduate outcomes to the needs of our employers, who provide ever increasing wages that exceed the statewide average for Ohio. We’re keeping more talented workers close to home and helping them build great careers and rewarding lives for a more prosperous community. Thank you, 97欧美精品一区二区三区 the Dream, for this wonderful recognition and award. As it is a journey, and never a destination, we will continue our path to change lives for better futures.”