Enrollment on the rise at Robeson Community College

Enrollment is on the rise at Robeson Community College for the Spring 2022 semester compared to last spring. The college currently has 1361 students enrolled in its curriculum programs, compared to 1298 the year before at this time, which is a 4.8% increase in headcount, which equates to a 4% increase in FTE.

FTE means “full-time equivalent” for the purposes of calculating a full-time enrollment, which include full-time students along with those who only attend on a part-time basis.

With 14-week, 12-week, 8-week, and 4-week classes scheduled to begin later in the semester, the enrollment count is expected to continue to grow.

“We are grateful for each and every student that has chosen to make Robeson Community College their choice for higher education. We are a service-centered college and we seek to give our students an affordable, quality education and an overall great experience from start to finish, said Dr. Patrena Benton Elliott, Vice President and Chief Academic Officer.”

High school students from the class of 2020 and 2021 were eligible to receive tuition for free, thanks to the North Carolina Longleaf Commitment Grant, however, Robeson Community College decided to expand the free offering to all students who met eligibility requirements using federal, state, and other resources to fund tuition to help students recover from the pandemic and to get them back in the classroom.

“I am excited that we were able to offer free tuition to our students this Spring,” said President Melissa Singler. “We know that education is the key to breaking many barriers and the key to opening many doors of success, and anytime that we can offer financial assistance to our students, we will do it.”

The college currently offers over 80 programs of study leading to an associate degree, diploma, or certificate. Classes in basic law enforcement, emergency medical science, nursing, accounting, robotics, early childhood education, cosmetology, welding have filled near or at capacity.

College transfer classes such as art appreciation, biology, developmental psychology, and walking for fitness have been popular as well, with new sections having to be added to meet the growing demand.

“Having a good, solid education can change the trajectory of your life,” Singler continued. “We are living in a time where you need to be prepared for what tomorrow will bring, and education can help you do that, whether that is learning a trade, developing new skills, or gaining transfer credits to transfer to a university.”

On the continuing education and workforce development side, the division is 32% ahead to meet scheduled FTE projections for the year.

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To view photos from the first day of classes at Robeson Community College, please click here: https://www.facebook.com/RobesonCC/posts/10159978745993459