Prince William Sound Community College

Dr. Jacob Ng has accepted the position as the fourth President of UAA’s Prince William Sound Community College (PWSCC). Dr. Ng, who will begin his presidency at PWSCC on July 1, will take over for Jed Palmer who has been serving as the acting president since mid-April.

Dr. Ng has 28 years of leadership experience working in the California Community College System. He began his career in higher education at Ventura College as a faculty member in 1985. He currently serves as Vice Chancellor of Student Services in the Peralta Community College District (PCCD), where he’s spent the past 17 years serving in various leadership positions, including Dean of Student Service, Associate Vice Chancellor of International Affairs, Distance and Community Education, among others.

Dr. Ng has extensive experience in a wide array of functions essential to successfully leading an institution, including management and supervision, fiscal control, accreditation, enrollment management, facilities bond implementation, workforce and economic development, community development and K-12 partnerships.

Dr. Ng received his Doctorate Degree in Community College Leadership/Higher Education Administration from Oregon State University, M.S. in Counseling/Clinical Psychology from Cal Lutheran University, and B.S. in Psychology from Evangel University in Missouri with Summa Cum Laude award.

We look forward to Dr. Ng’s arrival and to his leadership.

About fifty 6^th graders descended upon Prince William Sound Community College Valdez campus last week, as part of the Kids2College Program.  Students experienced a day of college, attending classes such as First Aid, Museum Studies, Acting, HAZWOPER, and Biology. The also learned about paying for college and experienced a graduation ceremony.

To prepare for their campus visit, students researched what is involved with pursuing different careers and presented the information to their classmates.  Along the way, they learned about various academic options and the steps they can take today to prepare for college.  Kids2College teaches students about local high school graduation and test requirements, college admissions, and how to qualify for financial aid opportunities like the Alaska Performance Scholarship.

Now in 28 states, Kids2College encourages students to aspire to education and training beyond high school – whether it’s an apprenticeship, a one-year technical program or a seven-year professional degree sequence; by learning that postsecondary training is important and attainable.

Kids2College alumni are more likely to discuss college preparation with parents and teachers, and to understand college is possible for them.  For those children whose families may not have a college-going history, it’s an opportunity to learn first-hand about the career avenues and life experiences college offers.

Thanks to the generous contribution of the Eyak Corporation, PWSCC in Cordova offered a mask carving course this week.  Under the instruction of master carver, Mike Webber, students made masks honoring fallen Alaska Native carver Jerry O’Brien by replicating one of his carvings which is on display at the Ilanka Cultural Center Museum in Cordova.

The masks are labor intensive and required many carving skills which were taught in the course. They are finished with sea otter, seal or beaver.  They are painted and then shellacked.

Webber is well known for his carving skills and particularly for his Shame Totem which was an enormous project completed to commemorate the anniversary of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill.