Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC), winner of ATD’s 2021 Leah Meyer Austin Award, has a core value that permeates all of its objectives: Everyone has worth.

NWTC is committed to a student-first approach — a vision that has permeated the faculty culture and objectives, and that has paved the way to tangible outcomes. Since joining Achieving the Dream, NWTC has closed equity gaps, increased successful student outcomes, addressed inequities with direct feedback from students, and made wrap-around services more accessible and encompassing.

NWTC, with support from Achieving the Dream, is getting results:

• Increased fall-to-fall persistence rates from 57 percent to 62 percent over four years, a five percentage point increase. During this time the college also closed existing equity gaps on this measure between student parents and students without children as well as students who received Pell grants and those who did not.
• Increased the ratio of college-level credits successfully completed with a C- or higher from 71 percent to 75 percent, a four percentage point increase. Narrowed existing equity gaps on this measure between students who received Pell grants and those who did not as well as between part-time students and full-time students.
• Increased the proportion of students who earned a bachelor’s degree within six years of starting at the college from 27 percent to 34 percent. During this time, the college also halved an existing equity gap between students who received Pell grants and those who did not.