Western believes in every student’s potential to positively influence our community. Through extensive research, wide stakeholder involvement, and the stated expectations of the community, the College has refined its focus on student growth and success. To accomplish this, Western has incorporated aspects of soft-skills, employability skills, and college and career readiness skills in the creation of our SuccessAbilities. These SuccessAbilities are integrated throughout the curriculum with student assessment occurring as appropriate to the technical program.

Western prepares students for success in a free-enterprise society through human experiences that integrate:

Living Responsibly

Challenges you to adapt to change, respect yourself and others, value the environment, accept ownership of your actions, and grow your community. 

Students will find success as they learn to:

• Develop Resilience: anticipate, prepare for, respond to and recover from disruptive change.
• Embrace Sustainability: the act of building, through our daily practices and educational programming, a thriving, resilient, and just community now and in the future.
• Foster Accountability: the personal ownership needed for advocacy, involvement, and engagement for achieving desired results.

Refining Professionalism

Challenges you to think and communicate as a professional, value collaboration and diversity, and behave ethically. 

Students will find success as they learn to:

• Improve Critical Thinking: connect ideas and evaluate information logically.
• Practice Effective Communication: actively listen to others and share complex ideas through appropriate interactions.
• Participate Collaboratively: contribute as a team member while acknowledging and respecting the diversity of other perspectives.
• Act Ethically: behave in a way that reinforces the principles of honesty, equity, empathy and trust.

Cultivating Passion

Challenges you to find your purpose and be curious, practice self-reflection, and genuinely connect with others. 

Students will find success as they learn to:

• Expand a Growth Mindset: accept imperfections and seek opportunities for perpetual self-improvement.
• Increase Self-Awareness: understand personal strengths, weaknesses, traits, and behaviors to better understand yourself and other people.
• Enhance Personal Connections: relate to others through kindness and concern.