17,841 college credit student figure is highest in 44 years
As if the overflowing parking lots and teaming hallways weren’t indicators enough, officials at Kirkwood Community College have marked the highest official enrollment in the college’s history. Kirkwood Enrollment Services shows 17,841 students enrolled at the official tenth-day measurement point, which is more than 17 percent above last year’s count of 15,193 students.
Kirkwood President Mick Starcevich noted several possible factors driving the surge in credit student numbers.
“This fall we mark a new high point in our student numbers, and it comes at a critical time in our service to eastern Iowa. It’s no secret that the downsizings, layoffs and overall economic climate have brought many hundreds of students to us for specific training for new career directions,” said Starcevich. “This enrollment figure also reflects a growing number of recent high school graduates who are choosing Kirkwood as a dependable, accessible starting point for their collegiate studies. The reasons for coming to Kirkwood are many, and we hope to turn those plans into reality.”
The enrollment numbers include 7,752 students in Kirkwood’s arts and sciences programs of study and 6,285 in the college’s applied science career programs. “Over the past decade we have seen about 40 percent of our students move from our classrooms to those in Iowa City, Ames and Cedar Falls. Many others transferred to our private college partners such as Mount Mercy, Coe, Loras and so many others.” Starcevich said.
There is also a strong interest in area high school dual credit programs offered through Kirkwood. There are approximately 2,632 students earning both high school and college credit in a variety of offerings in Kirkwood’s seven county area this fall.
The fall of 2009 marks the 44th academic year at Kirkwood. In its founding year of 1966-67 the two-year college then known as “Area Ten” enrolled just 199 students in college credit programs.