By all indications, Amy Bell is ready to hit the ground running as the new director of community education at North Arkansas College. However, one of the keys to being effective, she says, will be to stay in touch with people in the community.
"I expect to be out of my office meeting with civic clubs, employers, and people in the area," Bell says. "I've already had lots of input about the non-credit classes people want."
After five years as workforce administrator at the Northwest Arkansas Economic Development District, Bell is making the move to Northark "to take my love for learning and market that in the community," she says.
Bell, who has a juris doctorate degree from the University of Arkansas Law School in Fayetteville, is also a graduate of Hendrix College, where she majored in English. A native of Brinkley, she and her husband, Trey, moved to Harrison in 1999. They have a two-year-old son, Clifton.
Northark Executive Director James Morris, who heads up the continuing, community and adult education programs at the college, says Bell's job was defined following the college's summer board of trustees retreat this past year.
"We want to expand the number of non-credit course offerings," Morris says, "and provide more services to business and industry." Non- credit classes currently offered by the college include everything from dog obedience to hunter education and country and western dancing. In the future, the college is considering teaching non-credit courses in other communities in its service area.
To help Bell gather data, North Arkansas College has developed an online survey (www.northark.edu/survey) to give area citizens another way to suggest non-credit classes for the college. Bell's phone number at the college is 870-391-3100.
Bell and Morris have worked together over the past five years on the Workforce Investment Board. Bell served as the staff member for the board, which included Morris as one of its members.
"I think Northark will be a great place to work," Bell says. "Like NWAEDD, the college has great people and a positive atmosphere. I'm excited about this job and think I'll get lots of support."
Morris says the college's new director of community education will bring "lots of new energy and excitement by providing new classes and other opportunities to serve the community." After observing her at NWAEDD over the years, "I am happy to have the opportunity to work with her in a team environment and believe she will do an outstanding job," he says.