MC Fall 2009 Enrollment Sets Record
Mississippi College leaders are delighted the Christian university's fall 2009 enrollment set a new record despite the nation's economic woes. There are 4,887 students attending classes in early September as MC enters its 184th academic year.
That's up by 40 students from the 4,847 MC students enrolling a year ago, new reports show. MC operates its main campus in Clinton, branches in Madison and Brandon plus the MC School of Law in downtown Jackson.
Given America's shaky economy with unemployment approaching 10 percent, MC leaders like Jim Turcotte, the vice president for enrollment management and student affairs, are pleased to see an uptick in student numbers.
"In recent years, we have had substantial growth that has led to higher enrollment through retention," Turcotte said. "All of our campus community have worked very hard this past year to help ensure that we continue to see enrollment increases."
Reports show some of Mississippi's nearby community colleges saw their enrollments rise by double digit levels with their lower tuition proving attractive to students and parents during tough times. Some students are retooling careers in a hurry due to downsizing in the workforce, officials say.
The boost in enrollment at two-year schools explains the decrease in MC freshmen this fall. But, school officials say the number of transfer students at MC grew from a year ago. Enrollment at the MC School of Law in Jackson rose slightly to 543 students last fall following a record number of applications.
Looking at MC's enrollment growth, School of Nursing Dean Mary Jean Padgett noted nurses are in big demand in the workforce and that's got to be a recruiting plus.
"Nursing has been identified as one of the professions that need more workers for both the immediate and long-range future," said Padgett, a 1973 MC nursing graduate.
Nursing educators are making the public more aware of the needs for their profession with America caring for an aging population as baby boomers retire, Padgett said.
"The nursing program at Mississippi College is well-known for its high-quality education and the success of its graduates," she said. A new online nursing degree allows nurses to work full-time while pursuing college studies at MC. About 15 nursing students are enrolled in such classes.
Students are also showing up in big numbers at MC's M.B.A. program. It enrolls more than 250 students and remains the oldest and biggest in metro Jackson, said Marcelo Eduardo, dean of the School of Business.
MC numbers will fluctuate a bit over the next few weeks. One positive sign that could bump up the numbers will be the final fall registration next month for Accelerated Degree Program classes that offer classes during the evening to working adults.That report is due out around Oct. 20.
Another positive sign for MC is that there are now 29 students enrolled in the doctioral program in educational leadership, up from 15 when the School of Education launched the initiative about a year ago.
MC is also seeing more students sign up to pursue the alternate route to become teachers, said School of Education Dean Don Locke.
Mississippi College gained national recognition last month when the school was named by "Forbes" magazine as one of America's Top 25 Best College Buys.
Sophomore Katie Young of Jackson, Tenn. said the small classes and costs were the big attractions for her. "I have scholarships and they are great," said the psychology major. "Even though I'm from out of state, it beats in-state costs."
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