The overview
At the State of the College on Nov. 9, Chancellor Brenda Hellyer gave an update on a variety of programs and enrollment, and gave a number of success stories the college has had in the past year.
Some of the new degree programs that are either approved or pending approval, according to the presentation, include:
- Heavy diesel equipment/crane technician
- Medical laboratory assistant
- Plumbing technology
- Biotechnology
The college in October also approved its third bachelor program: applied technology in cybersecurity. Hellyer said the demand for the job is set to spike in the coming years.
Diving in deeper
Enrollment for the college is up 2.7%, and over the past 13 years, the college has seen its total degrees and certificates, and its total graduates, increase.
The college in the past year has also seen nearly 3,000 students transfer to a four-year college, according to the presentation.
What they’re saying
Hellyer at multiple times reiterated the college’s mission to both provide students with an affordable path to higher education, as well as prepare them for the workforce.
To show this, she gave a number of stories of current students, alumni and faculty. One former student attended the college after struggling financially and graduated with three degrees related to nursing. She was recognized at the event.
A professor is up for national recognition after taking his students out to study various reptile and mammal habitats, according to the presentation.
There will also be a competition involving students, faculty and industry representatives that will see the winner send an experiment to the International Space Station, Hellyer said.
“The work we do here is about lives being changed,” Hellyer said. “And we’re doing these things for our students and our community.”
