NEUMONT COLLEGE OF COMPUTER SCIENCE LEVELS UP WITH NORTHWEST ACCREDITATION

On July 23, 2022 Neumont College of Computer Science received formal notification regarding our acceptance as the newest member of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

As a member of NWCCU we join a list of prestigious schools such as the University of Utah, Utah State University, Gonzaga University, Brigham Young University, Boise State University, Oregon State University, University of Washington and other recognized institutions.

Watch an interview with Dr. Aaron Reed, Neumont’s president and CEO, regarding what this news means for the future of Neumont.

NWCCU was founded in 1917 and accredits institutions of higher education by applying evidence-informed standards and processes to support continued improvements and promoting student achievement and success. NWCCU is recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council on Higher Education (CHEA) to accredit postsecondary institutions.

Speaking of newsworthy items, earlier this year, in a study by Georgetown University, Neumont was ranked #1 in the nation in terms of return on investment. And most recently, Neumont was ranked #1 in the state of Utah and 21st in the country in economic mobility on Third Way’s Economic Mobility Indicator.

Since 2003, Neumont College of Computer Science has united business, technology, and creativity to educate tomorrow’s tech elite. With a focus on project-based learning, students are immersed in a tech environment from day one to earn a degree in computer science.

Utah Computer Science College Named Nation’s Best Return on Investment

A recent study, published by Georgetown University, asserts that Neumont College of Computer Science, located in Salt Lake City, has the best return on investment for low-income students in the nation. Neumont offers six bachelor’s degrees, all focused on computer science and information technology, and has been operating in Utah for almost two decades.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer science is one of the fastest growing jobs market1.  Jobs in computer science fields have meteoric upward mobility and anyone with a CS degree is highly sought after by all sectors of the economy. As College Factual points out, in the 2019-2020 school year there were only 53,200 computer science degrees awarded2. While this may seem like a large number, there are over 351,000 open computer science positions according to Indeed.com3. That equates to 6.5 jobs for every CS grad in the United States. This backlog of open positions that aren’t being filled is predicted to get much worse in the next 10 years based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics4.  The projected growth in industry demand for technology workers is likely to further fuel the already tremendous return on investment realized by computer science graduates from Neumont College.

The industry demand represents a massive opportunity for students looking to earn degrees in computer science. Neumont’s President, Dr. Aaron Reed said, “Neumont is uniquely positioned to help prospective students earn a bachelor's degree in computer science and launch themselves into highly lucrative and exciting careers in technology. With six degrees, all focusing on different areas of computer science, and our hands on, project-based approach, students are well prepared to enter the industry and become tomorrow’s tech leaders.”

The authors of the study point out that Neumont is “at the top of our weighted list of bachelor’s-degree-granting institutions that give the highest ROI to low-income students.” For most Americans, the amount they pay for college is second only to purchasing a home. As many families know, picking the right college and degree is an extremely important decision and has a lifelong impact. Knowing that Neumont has the best return on investment in the nation gives Neumont students and alumni high confidence in their educational investment.

1.      According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 11 percent from 2019 to 2029. National employment is projected to grow from 162.8 million to 168.8 million over 2019-29, which reflects an annual growth rate of 0.4 percent.

2.      https://www.collegefactual.com/majors/computer-information-sciences/computer-science/

3.      https://www.indeed.com/q-Computer-Science-jobs.html?vjk=96a4f48ce742ff70

4.      https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm

NEUMONT ESPORTS ORIGIN STORY

In April of 2021 Joseph Rodriguez, a current student in Neumont’s Information Systems degree program, decided he we wanted more from the Neumont esports club that he presided over. The esports club was a relaxed space that allowed students to hone their skills but lacked the thrill of competing against other teams. Joseph approached Neumont staff about his idea of expanding the esports club into a full-fledged program that would represent the school on a collegiate level.

After getting the support needed from the school’s president, Dr. Aaron Reed, Joseph recruited a team of officers to aid him in his quest to transform the esports club into a competitive program. The team of esports officers spent countless hours organizing, researching equipment, and pitching their ideas to a panel of Neumont staff.

Joseph Rodriguez mees prospective students at FReX.

Student Mark Nusser demos his lightsaber for fellow esports players.

Beginning in November 2021 Joseph, the esports officers, and some supporting staff converted a classroom into a state-of-the-art esports arena with 6 Syber Cube Extreme 400s with customized GPUs, graphite desks, Corsair chairs, Logitech G PRO X headsets, and a TV to help with film sessions. The same group also built a separate room for student-casters to provide streamed play-by-play and color commentary on the school’s Twitch page.

Neumont Esports members pose in The Llama Base.

During the process the esports club went from 10 students to a full-fledged program with 60 members playing on 6 teams (League of Legends, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Call of Duty, Valorant, and Overwatch) with a constitution, tryout structure, player contracts, and personalized jerseys. Currently the program is affiliated with NACE and is gearing up for the fall tournament season.  

Joseph’s efforts paid off demonstrating how some passion, motivation and drive can take you a long way. Joseph will be graduating in the summer of 2022, but his legacy will live on in Neumont lore for many years to come.

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THE LLAMA BASE BUILD OUT

WELCOME PAUL FOX

We are thrilled to welcome back a Neumont alum, Paul Fox, and introduce him as Neumont’s Web Development Chair. Paul, fresh from his role as a principal software engineer at NICE inContact has extensive experience both teaching and working in the tech industry for over 15 years.

COMPUTER SCIENCE FROM A YOUNG AGE
Paul’s computer science journey started, like many others, tinkering with technology at an early age. He recalls his first introduction to tech as a kid when reading his dad’s magazine “Run”.

Neumont instructor, Paul Fox

“In this magazine, there would be several pages of ‘code’ you could manually type into a text editor that would run a program. Assuming you didn't make a single typo.”

His interest in tech continued to develop in his teen years after his family received their first Windows PC. Paul recounts his experiences learning through both trial and error and phone calls with tech support whenever the family computer needed fixing or upgrades. These self-taught experiences as a teen led him to land various tech support jobs throughout the Salt Lake Valley. In 2004, Paul decided to pursue a computer science degree at the newly established Neumont College.

SUCCESS AT NEUMONT 
Paul loved that Neumont offered a unique and career-focused approach to learning.

“I had tried to start college a few times before (attending) Neumont. Without family with college experience or other support to guide you in the right direction, it can be challenging to know how to get it all started. Neumont made it a lot easier to approach and helped with the process. I liked the focus and shorter timeframe.”

After graduating in 2007, Paul was able to go straight into industry, working as a software engineer, but he never forgot the incredible impact instructors at Neumont had on his life. Current President and CEO, Aaron Reed, was an instructor during Paul’s time as a Neumont student and Reed’s example eventually led Paul Fox to leave industry and return to teach at Neumont.

Neumont faculty and graduates at the annual Commencement Ceremony

PASSION FOR EDUCATION
Staying true to Neumont’s mission, “Improving lives through education,” Paul’s greatest motivation for teaching is the reward of seeing his students succeed. In addition to connecting with students, Paul brings a surge of relevant insights for his Web Development students.

In his experience “Web development changes and evolves faster than any other kind.” As the Web Development Chair, Fox plans to incorporate current industry trends and “explore modern opportunities to tackle different problems” in his curriculum. When asked what additional advice he has for students he said:

Paul Fox answers questions of prospective students at FReX

“Work with Career Services! Start early and prepare. Don’t necessarily jump on the first offer you get. Ask about job culture and try to find a place where you feel like you’ll fit. Know your worth and learn to appropriately negotiate. With the skills you’ve developed, you're worth more than you know.”

We are so happy to have Paul Fox here back at Neumont, and can’t wait to see where he takes the Web Dev Degree Program.

Neumont College of Computer Science is currently accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) to offer baccalaureate programs specializing in computer science. As of July 23, 2021, Neumont is also a candidate for accreditation with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). The College is seeking initial institutional accreditation from NWCCU.  The Northwest Commission has scheduled an accreditation visit to Neumont’s campus in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 4-6, 2022.

Neumont College President and CEO Dr. Aaron Reed stated, "Neumont has a longstanding history of positive and productive relationships with accrediting agencies. We are optimistic about our ongoing relationship with ACCSC as well as the prospect of initial accreditation with NWCCU. We are also confident that our affiliation with both organizations will have a lasting, positive impact on Neumont College and its constituents."

Remarks related to Neumont College's qualifications for initial accreditation must be received no later than April 4, 2022, and can be directed to:

NWCCU

8060 165th Avenue NE, Suite 200,

Redmond, WA 98052

SOURCE Neumont College of Computer Science

Related Links

http://www.neumont.edu