Mitchell Community College Welcomes Increased Enrollment For Fall 2024
The Fall 2024 semester is off to a successful start with Mitchell Community College seeing significant growth with over 4000 students enrolled in curriculum classes contributing to a record-breaking 16% FTE increase – up 9.7% since Fall of last year and surpassing the College’s previous enrollment record in Fall of 2011 (with 3,774 students). Full-time equivalency (FTE) reflects the number of students taking a full-time load of classes. Additionally, over 1,000 students are enrolled in Mitchell’s Fall 2024 Continuing Education classes with the number increasing within the coming weeks as classes continue to register. Combined, the College has a total enrollment of over 5,000 students for curriculum and continuing education for the Fall 2024 semester.
Mitchell’s Career & College Promise, a college transfer pathways program, has seen a 22% increase compared to last year’s numbers. Mitchell’s College Transfer is up 15%, Associate of Applied Science programs are up 28%, Associate of General Education up 22%, and Diploma programs up 16%.
This growth can be attributed to several factors including Mitchell’s proactive focus on building thriving partnerships that provide active engagement in and with the community – an initiative aligned with the College’s 2023-2028 Strategic Plan: Mitchell Empowers Futures. Through this strategic planning, the College has made it a goal to provide inspiring teaching & learning that contributes to a student’s academic and personal growth. This helps students in achieving economic mobility through their achieved degree, diploma, short-term credentialing or certification.
Mitchell’s marketing strategies have aligned themselves to emulate the College’s strategic plan by communicating more effectively and strategically with different audiences that could benefit from the educational opportunities that the College has to offer.
The College’s Student Services Division incorporated multiple enrollment and retention initiatives including partnering with Iredell-Statesville Schools and Mooresville Graded School District to facilitate a head start for students’ transition into higher education. Another initiative was the college’s inaugural Springfest, an open house concept, that introduced prospective students to academic programs, student services, community employers, and alumni in a fun, festival-like atmosphere, creating a lasting impression on future students.
Throughout the summer, the College continued building connections through various programs, including Admitted Maverick Days which prepared over 300 new students for their first semester in college by sharing resources, offering information, and networking with peers, faculty, and staff. Mitchell’s Student Services also hosted virtual information sessions for parents and students, worked personally with students who risked being deregistered from classes, and assisted students with financial aid support such as the NC NEXT Scholarship. During the first week of classes, Mitchell hosted a Welcome Week with daily events featuring food, games, and information to engage both new and current students.
As students began their classes, the inspirational teaching and learning highlighted in Mitchell’s strategic plan, is emphasized in the work that the Curriculum Division has placed on the program review process which creates stronger, more relevant programs that help students to achieve economic mobility. In turn, the Workforce and Continuing Education Division continues to train and upskill individuals in key economic industry areas.
Iredell County is a fast-growing area for industry, and as the only higher education option in Iredell County, Mitchell Community College operates as a driving engine for economic development by equipping students with transferable skills so they can find opportunity in the local area workforce. This syncretic relationship has also contributed to Mitchell’s increase in enrollment, and is emphasized by Mitchell’s founding partnership with Iredell Ready, an initiative designed to help students and residents, K-12 through retirement, identify the opportunities to pursue their individual career pathways and gainful employment with industry.
The college offers 44 degree options, 13 diploma options, and 60 certificate options through in-person and online courses at its Statesville and Mooresville campus locations. Through empowering futures, Mitchell Community College celebrates its increase in enrollment for the Fall 2024 semester.