ELLISVILLE – Jones County Junior College enrollment numbers continue to shatter records. For the first time in recent history, Jones has back-to-back semesters with double digit enrollment increases.
“Everything we are doing at Jones is about growth,” said JCJC President Dr. Jesse Smith. “It’s good to see our vision for growth has become a reality. Not only are we enrolling more students than ever before, we’re also keeping more students on track so they graduate. We had a five percent increase in student retention last fall.”
In fall 2009, the college enjoyed an enrollment surge of 11 percent with 5,573 students attending classes. Typically, fewer students register for spring classes. However, spring 2010 is proving to be a prosperous semester. Spring enrollment figures show 4,927 students registered for classes, which is an11.3 percent increase from spring 2009.
A record 751 students signed up for classes the first day of regular spring registration.
“Right now, JCJC is providing hope and opportunity for people from all walks of life in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression,” said JCJC VP for Instructional Affairs Jim Kelly. “The JCJC faculty and staff really stepped up on Monday (the first day of registration) when they registered the most students in a single day in the 100-year history of the college.”
As with every state agency, Jones will be doing more with less money in the budget. JCJC administrators and faculty have renewed their efforts to better meet the needs of students as more people are looking to community colleges to provide a better future.
“It’s the education paradox. Enrollment increases whenever the economy declines,” said Smith. “The search for jobs or different training and education continues as the economy continues to lag. At Jones, we are providing students with more opportunities to meet their goals and overcome their challenges during this time.”
The newly established Student Success Center (SSC) is an additional service now offered to students. The success center houses the counseling center and is located on the first floor of the Terrell Tisdale Library. The SSC offers specialized services for students including career counseling and workshops to assist students in transitioning to college life. It will also provide a place for students to relax between classes.
“With the record number of students we have on campus, we’re busier than ever. This success center couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Gwen Magee, Director of the Student Success Center. “This center allows us to better serve our students. It’s designed to provide new opportunities to help them flourish. ”
According to Smith, “The bottom line is college enrollments are up across the state because of the economy. We need our state’s support to meet our needs. Cutting our budget is counter-productive. In this economy, our students need us now more than ever, especially since community colleges are the first line of defense in down economic times. It’s comparable to cutting the electricity during peak demand times. If it gets cold, we can’t say we won’t produce more electricity to keep people warm just like we can’t cut our educational services when the public demand is at an all-time high.”
JCJC's district includes eight counties: Clarke, Covington, Greene, Jasper, Jones, Perry, Smith, and Wayne, however it serves students from 60 Mississippi counties and 12 states. Degrees and certificates are awarded in 27 career and technical programs and over 100 university parallel programs. For more information about Jones County Junior College, call 601-477-4000 or visit the college's website at www.jcjc.edu.
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Related Photos
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Photo/Teresa Martin, JCJC Media & Public Relations Director
Record enrollment continues at JCJC
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