Eastern Gateway tops 3,000 students

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Eastern Gateway Community College is one of the fastest-growing colleges in the nation, according to the American Association of Community Colleges.

With a 20 percent increase in enrollment, Eastern Gateway achieved the highest semester-enrollment in college history this spring. The increase ranked the college as 16th on AACC’s list of fastest growing colleges in the 2,500 to 4,999 student count category.

The student head-count reached 3,087, up from 2,573 in spring 2013.

“I am excited to report that the college’s enrollment exceeded 3,000 for the first time in the college’s history,” said Patty Sturch, dean of enrollment management.

The 3,000th student enrolled at Eastern Gateway through the Youngstown Early College program, she said.

The rise was fueled by the enrollment of 44 percent more new students from a year ago and an increase in retention of continuing students from fall 2013 to spring 2014, which rose to 75 percent.

Eastern Gateway trustees voted last week to increase tuition by $3 per credit hour, effective summer term.

In-state residents and those residing in the tuition-reciprocity counties of Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall and Wetzel counties in West Virginia will pay $117 per credit. The out-of-state tuition rate is $145 per credit hour.