Valley colleges post record fall-enrollment numbers

By Denise Dick

By DENISE DICK

denise_dick@vindy.com

CHAMPION

Two additional Mahoning Valley colleges posted record enrollment numbers this fall.

Kent State University’s Trumbull Campus, located in Champion, reported a nearly 20 percent increase in this year’s fall enrollment compared with 2009. It has 3,145 students this fall.

Eastern Gateway Community College’s enrollment hit 2,125, the first time that number exceeded 2,100 in the institution’s 42-year history.

Last week, Youngstown State University reported its highest enrollment in 20 years.

YSU’s preliminary count showed 15,194 students enrolled for the fall semester, up 3.5 percent — or 512 students — from last fall.

Ann Koon, an EGCC spokeswoman, said that college’s enrollment is still growing, pointing to late-starting classes including about 12 courses at the Valley Center at Forum Health Northside Medical Center, Youngstown.

“We are so excited to have this record growth at the college,” EGCC President Laura Meeks in a news release. “We are reaching more and more residents who will benefit from achieving a higher education. Obviously, a greater number of students realize the importance of a better education as part of their desires to have better lives.”

The bulk of the increase is attributable to the college’s expansion into Mahoning, Columbiana and Trumbull counties, Koon said. Student retention is also part of the 4 percent increase.

The lagging economy also may have played a role.

“We continue to see students coming back for retraining or to upgrade,” Koon said.

Enrollment of students from Columbiana is up 6 percent, from 97 students in fall 2009 to 103 this fall. Trumbull saw a 142 percent increase with 63 students this fall, up from 26 last fall. The number of students from Mahoning increased 327 percent, from 44 last fall to 188 this year. A total of 354 students from the three counties are taking Eastern Gateway classes, compared with 167 students in fall 2009.

Also, 64 students from the three counties are taking college classes from Lorain County Community College, which is a program-delivery partner with Eastern Gateway.

KSU-Trumbull’s enrollment is an all-time high.

“Such strong numbers continue to demonstrate and emphasize what an important role this campus plays in the education of residents in our region,” Wanda Thomas, dean for Kent State Trumbull, said in a news release. “Whether we are talking about traditional students, those that are looking to complete a degree they haven’t finished or those looking to continue their education in order to remain competitive in today’s workforce, a great many are recognizing the need and advantage of post-secondary education and that which our campus provides.”