Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) is pleased to announce the successful completion of its seven-year evaluation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), resulting in the reaffirmation of its accreditation as of January 2024. This validation underscores NNU’s unwavering dedication to integrating its mission and values into all aspects of its operations and its strategic approach to continuous improvement.
Brad Kurtz-Shaw, NNU’s Vice President for Academic Affairs, expressed gratitude for the ongoing accreditation, stating, “This reaffirmation from the NWCCU is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff and students. It acknowledges our collective efforts to not only maintain but elevate the quality of education and service we provide. We are particularly proud of our ability to weave NNU’s mission and values into the fabric of our institution, as commended by the Commission.”
NNU’s journey toward continued accreditation was thorough, reflecting its commitment to excellence and self-improvement. The University has been a beacon of higher education in the Northwest since 1913, offering a wide array of undergraduate and graduate programs and serving a diverse community of learners.
“The reaffirmation of NNU’s accreditation by NWCCU reinforces our steadfast commitment to our mission to ‘be a Christ-centered, academically excellent community,’” said President Joel Pearsall. “We remain dedicated to integrating faith and learning and ensuring a transformative educational journey for every student.”
The NWCCU is an independent, non-profit membership organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the regional authority on educational quality and institutional effectiveness of higher education institutions in the seven-state Northwest region of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. It fulfills its mission by establishing accreditation criteria and evaluation procedures by which institutions are reviewed.
The commission oversees regional accreditation for 162 institutions. Its decision-making body consists of up to twenty-six commissioners who represent the public and diversity of higher educational institutions in the Northwest region.