The 2010-2011 academic year is quickly coming to a close. And what a year it has been for our students and our College!
With the official enrollment for Spring 2011 now posted, we know that our combined enrollment for Fall, Winter and Spring has surpassed the all-time record for total annual enrollment. The previous record, set in 2005, was broken even before enrollment for Summer 2011 was taken into account. Summer 2011 enrollment will only add to the current total.
Not only have we seen record enrollment this year, we also have set a new record for the number of graduates. The combined total for December 2010 and May 2011 commencements was 518 graduates. The previous high of 435 occurred in December 2004 and May 2005.
These records are probably the result of a combination of local and national factors. First, the national economy is still recovering, and many individuals are retraining for a new career. The struggling economy also causes students and families to look for a good value. In this economy, the affordability of community colleges makes them an even better value than usual.
Second, the national spotlight is shining more brightly than ever on community colleges. Increasingly, community colleges are becoming the college of choice, instead of a fall-back option. For example, Clinton Community College's Presidential Scholarship program has attracted scores of honor students to our campus over the past few years.
Third and finally, we at Clinton Community College have worked hard to develop new and relevant programs and to position ourselves well in our community, in our region and throughout the state. Our Wind Energy and Turbine Technologies programs are still the only ones of their kind in the Northeast, we have a new certificate in Health Studies and our Human Services program has recently received national accreditation.
While we are proud of our accomplishments this year, we also recognize that there is more work to be done as we strive to increase access to higher education and promote student success. Our newly adopted Strategic Plan is our roadmap to those ends. The future of Clinton Community College continues to be very bright.
That's what I think. Please e-mail me at presidentsblog@clinton.edu to let me know what you think.
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