Dear Editor:

I am writing in support of a name change for Northwest College to Yellowstone College.

As a concerned citizen of Powell I believe the college is, on many levels, a vital component to the wellbeing of our community. We are at a time when all colleges across the country are scrambling to stay vital or, more drastically, to keep from closing their doors.

Student enrollments are down and the students who choose to go to college are being much more selective. As fewer students are going to college, the competition between colleges increases and the recruitment area for each must expand.

Our college can no longer depend on that 200 or so mile radius that has produced a majority of its students. It is time to become creative and proactive if the college wants not only to survive, but stand out among its peers.

So why do I support a Yellowstone College name change?

It is not just a name change; it is a self-imposed challenge. Students are looking for colleges that are unique and of the highest quality with offerings that present possibilities. Yellowstone is not just a monument that gives the college an internationally known location, it is also a name that immediately says we, like the park, are unique and your experience here will be meaningful and unforgettable.

The days of billboards with catchy slogans are over. We live in a digital age where any one of the social media sites is so full of them that they are meaningless — whereas a name like Yellowstone College will maintain its credibility and individualism among the masses because as everyone knows Yellowstone is one of a kind.

The name Yellowstone College is a verbal union between the college and the park that not only locates the college on an international level, but also suggests it is an institution of the highest quality and one ought to go there.

Martin J. Garhart

Powell