Published: July 20, 2009 11:39 am      

Onward and upward

Jacksonville College enrollment stays strong despite economic downturn

By Nathan Straus

news@jacksonvilleprogress.com

The economy has not had a negative impact on enrollment at Jacksonville College, College President Edwin Crank said. The college welcomed incoming freshmen all day Friday as part of its freshman orientation.

“We think we’re doing real good,” Crank said. “This is the second orientation this year, the first was in April, and I think we’ve got a good group today.”

Crank said the college is fully staffed and “chomping at the bits” for school to start again in earnest. The campus’ summer school program is winding down and it is only a matter of weeks before students begin flooding the campus classrooms for the regular school semester.

Tam Clark, academic dean at Jacksonville College, said hard times in the economy can entice people to head to school.

“Typically when an economy is down,” Clark said, “Two-year schools increase enrollment.”

Crank said the reasoning is when people can’t get a job they have a good reason to go back to school. There’s also a reason to head back to the classroom in the event of a career change.

“It feels like we’re living in a good time,” Crank also said.

The college has future plans it’s looking in to. Once the economy stabilizes, Crank said the oldest building on campus is up for renovation job to give it additional classrooms. In addition, there will be a need for new dormitory buildings to consider. The student union building on campus may also receive new additions.

It’s part of the steady growth continually being accomplished by the college.

“Over the last several years we’ve added nine acres to the campus over eight to 10 years,” Crank said.

Incoming students got to hear all about the college’s features during the freshman orientation. During the event, future students had a chance to look at the dormitories, meet fellow freshmen, finalize papers, audition for programs such as choir and cheerleading and register for classes.

Jamie Gartman, an incoming sophomore from New Summerfield, said she just moved to East Texas from New York and wanted to go to a Christian school close to home.

“I’m looking forward to staying in the dorms,” Gartman said.

She is thinking about a psychology major in Jacksonville College.

Clark said she hasn’t been able to finalize the enrollment numbers for this year yet, but noted around 300 students is a normal number for the college.

Crank said this number could be up, as well as the numbers for the Student Aid reports the college receives. Better numbers on the Student Aid reports mean a better overall image for the college.

“It’s a very good time for us,” Crank said.

Jacksonville College is a two-year college with a philosophy of integration of faith and learning.