From press reports

FULTON - Itawamba Community College is experiencing continued record growth this spring on both the Fulton and Tupelo campuses, according to preliminary reports released by the registrar's office this week.

"The 12.3 percent increase in credit enrollment is evidence of the growing awareness of the need for increased education from the residents in our college district," according to Mike Eaton, vice president of Student Services. "ICC is up 719 students from this time last year."

According to the report, enrollment gains were experienced at every site including the Fulton and Tupelo campuses and in online education. Additional significant increases were in Tupelo day classes, which increased 27.7 percent over last spring, and Tupelo evening enrollment, which is up 8.1 percent from the same time last year.

"We at ICC feel that the significant increase in enrollment can be attributed to solid recruiting; assistance with financial aid; operation of the shuttle service between campuses; the effect of plant layoffs and closings, and in general, a caring attitude about our students," Eaton said. There is a general awareness of the need for the acquisition of more knowledge and skills in order to be more competitive in today's global market."

"Students at ICC can combine onsite and online instruction in any academic or technical discipline," Eaton said, "and this enables especially nontraditional students to work toward a degree, which is needed in today's workforce. Often when the economy is slack and there are not a lot of jobs, there is growth in enrollment, but we feel that with a shift in types of industries within our area, a lot of people are interested in learning the necessary skill sets to be considered for employment."

Eaton said that ICC's restructured class schedules on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, which began with the fall semester, continue to better accommodate the needs of its students, especially those for whom transportation or employment is an issue.

Another factor, Eaton said is that ICC's students can enroll in the same academic classes at the Tupelo campus as are offered at the Fulton campus.

ICC's enrollment has increased in the last five years, especially in online classes, Eaton continued. "Online courses have become a viable option for some nontraditional students, who want to pursue a degree, and for them, distance learning coursework is a better fit. For the last three years, ICC has led the state in enrollment in distance learning classes, and while figures are not yet available, preliminary numbers indicate that will continue this semester.

"ICC offers accessible classes close to home in a supportive environment for everyone in the region," Eaton said. "We're glad that so many students have selected ICC to continue their education and that we are playing a significant role in their future as we have for the past 60 years."