Healthy Community Initiative

by Candace Godfrey as a Guest Columnist for the Northfield News

The NCCC — Navigating and Coaching for College and Careers — started in 2018 under the name Northfield Community College Collaborative as a program of Healthy Community Initiative. Since 2018, we have moved our location from downtown Northfield to the second floor of the Northfield Community Resource Center, and this summer, we changed our name. The acronym NCCC is the same, but the new name better fits what we do on a daily basis: work individually with youth and adults in the community to help them navigate postsecondary options that will lead to meaningful, family-sustaining careers.

What happens at the NCCC? In the evenings, from 6-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, we host community college courses that are fully accredited by Riverland Community College — Riverland sends its instructors to Northfield to teach! In addition, NCCC staff members provide holistic and student-centered advising and mentoring to students enrolled in other programs. We assist students with navigating many systems including but not limited to higher education, certificate training such as Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), career readiness, advising, and tutoring.

As a team, we meet students where they are to provide the necessary support for them to be successful in their educational paths. We also offer free childcare during our evening class times. Anyone who has a GED or high school diploma is eligible to take college courses. Our students range from high school PSEO students to returning college students to older adults who are attending college for the first time. Last year, we worked with students at more than 30 different colleges and universities, studying a variety of subjects and majors.

Fall semester starts Aug. 24, and we are offering five courses in-person from 6-9 pm at the NCRC: Composition I, Ethics, Introduction to Sociology, Biological Science, and Stress Management. Spring semester begins Jan. 11, 2027, and we will offer four courses: Religions, Composition II, Interpersonal Communication, and Social Problems.

If you are interested in spring semester, now is the time to apply for admissions and financial aid. Potential students will need a high school diploma or GED to take college courses, unless they are PSEO students. Students in grades 11 and 12 are welcome to take our courses through PSEO.

Along with our new name, we have updated our website: https://nccc-mn.org/. You will find our contact information and location listed on our website, as well as student testimonials, instructor bios, and answers to frequently asked questions. You can even take virtual tour of the space! Please reach out with any questions. Navigating higher education can be overwhelming, and we at the NCCC are here to help you through the process.