Enrollment at Mount Wachusett Community College is on the rise - what's drawing students?
Thanks to several on-campus efforts, plus a statewide program for non-traditional students, enrollment at Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) is increasing at rates faster than its peer institutions.
According to data collected by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education, the 15 public community colleges in the commonwealth have experienced an increase in enrollment. In fall 2023, there was an 8% increase in community college enrollment statewide, which is an additional 5,000 students.
Recent data collected by MWCC shows an overall 24.2% increase in enrollment for the spring 2024 semester. That's an increase of 645 new students for a total of 3,315 students enrolled at MWCC this spring semester.
Marcia Rosbury Henne, VP of enrollment and retention at MWCC, said the college has seen a 58% increase in new student enrollment and a 17% increase in returning students this spring semester.
Last semester, in the fall of 2023, 3,313 students enrolled at MWCC, a 12.1% increase compared to fall 2022, when 2,947 students enrolled.
Over the past year, several departments have seen an increase in applications. Rosbury Henne said allied health, business administration, early childhood education, computer science, liberal arts, and STEM majors had increased interest in the past year.
MassReconnect program bringing students to campus
Besides the community college's efforts to encourage local students to enroll, state-funded programs have made higher education financially accessible to many. Henne said the state has tried to market and publicize information on the MassReconnect program.
MassReconnect allows any Massachusetts resident 25 years old or older to get an associate's degree or certification for free at 15 different public community colleges in the state.
"We're seeing both over 25 and under 25 enrollment numbers rise because people are seeing the value of community college," she said. "They haven't been to college because there's always been a barrier, but MassReconnect is huge because it takes the financial barrier away."
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Removing barriers for disenfranchised students
Besides the state-wide free college program, MWCC has also committed to addressing social and economic oppression and systemic racism by adopting the MA Board of Higher Education Equity Agenda and the Department of Higher Education's Strategic Plan for Equity.
Henne said the college is experiencing a 32% increase in enrolled students of color. Starting in the fall semester, there were 363 Black students, 759 Latino students, 89 Asian and Pacific Islanders students, and eight Native American students.
She said she has worked in other public and private colleges, but it's impressive how welcoming MWCC can be. The college has an academic success advisor who focuses on supporting MWCC students who identify as LGBTQ+.
"We're doing everything we can to bring individuals from our community who may have never stepped on a college campus before and talk to them about access and what that means," she said. "We are always learning more from our students on what we need to do to address those issues of social and economic oppression."
There are many variables on why there is a spike in community college enrollment. In addition to MWCC having student support services, Henne said the connection between faculty and students has a lot of influence. She said students and faculty at MWCC have the opportunity to build a relationship because of the small class sizes, with about 15 students per class.
"For many students, they don't feel like they're an imposter (here) because they get to know the faculty and their peers," she said. "Our faculty care so much about their students."
Upcoming information sessions at MWCC
According to Henne, the college has prioritized bringing prospective students to campus by offering more tours and information sessions at both the Gardner and Leominster campuses. She said they have also made it easy for prospective students to talk and meet with them through Zoom and phone calls.
Every Friday is FAFSA Friday on the Gardner campus, a day to help new and returning students navigate financial aid and get more information on MASSReconnect. The college also holds bi-weekly MASSReconnect information sessions on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. For more information about these sessions, visit the college's website at mwcc.edu/admissions.
On Thursday, April 4, between 5 and 7 p.m. at the Gardner campus, MWCC will host an open house. To register, go to https://mwcc.edu/admissions/open-house.
This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner enrollment up for spring
