EGCC one of fastest growing colleges

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Eastern Gateway Community College is the nation’s 10th-fastest growing public two-year college of its size.

Each year, Community College Week compiles a list of the fastest-growing schools across the United States by calculating the percent change in headcounts from year to year. The national publication’s most recent report, based on fall 2013 enrollments, shows Eastern Gateway tied with South Louisiana Community College for the No. 10 spot in its bracket.

Eastern Gateway’s enrollment, excluding students enrolled exclusively in online classes, was 2,820 for the fall 2013 semester, up from 2,436 the previous year.

“It’s a reflection of what we see happening in our community,” said Eastern Gateway President Laura Meeks. “Ohio Valley residents are turning to us for the training they need to get jobs in oil and gas as well as more traditional fields such as health care, law enforcement, instrumentation and medical billing. Our expansion into Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties, coupled with continued growth at our Jefferson County campus, has made learning both accessible and affordable for residents throughout southeastern Ohio.”

Mahoning Valley enrollments have swelled since 2009, when the college first began offering classes outside Jefferson County. Today, more than 1,300 students attend classes in the Mahoning Valley, with 1,252 enrolled at Youngstown’s Valley Center, 90 enrolled at the Warren Center in downtown Warren and about 50 at career centers in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties.

An additional 530 young people are taking dual-enrollment classes, allowing them to accumulate college credits while they satisfy high-school curriculum requirements. Course options range from English composition, humanities and fine arts to social sciences, natural sciences, math and technical courses.

“The growth in our enrollment can be attributed directly to the college’s expansion from one county to four counties, with the biggest growth reflected in sites located in Mahoning County,” said Patti Sturch, dean of enrollment management. “Mahoning Valley residents are taking advantage of the opportunity to expand their job skills and explore new career opportunities in unprecedented numbers. We expect that growth to continue as we add new facilities and programs of study.”