Summer enrollment at PRCC breaks another record

POPLARVILLE – Summer school enrollment at Pearl River Community College is the largest in the school”s 100-year history.Through the end of registration last week, summer enrollment stood at 1,952 students.That”s a 15.2 percent increase or 257 students over summer 2009. First-term classes run through June 29; second-term classes begin June 30.”We continue to be encouraged by the strong enrollment trends at each of our campus sites located in Poplarville, Waveland and Hattiesburg,” said PRCC President William Lewis. “It is most pleasing that students are recognizing the quality and value of the higher education options available at Pearl River Community College.”Enrollment this summer on the Forrest County Center in Hattiesburg stands at 761 students, up 106 over a year ago. Students taking online classes is also up from 687 to 814.”We have solid enrollment in all of our regular core classes,” said Dr. John Grant, vice-president for instruction. “It looks like we have a sizeable increase in online classes, as well as students taking a full load.”Dr. Cecil Burt, dean of the Forrest County Center, is not surprised by the increase.”Historically, when the economy slows, enrollments in community colleges go up,” said Dr. Burt. “I believe this can be attributed to the heightened competition in the job market. The more education one has, the more employable they become.”Our enrollment increases at the Forrest County Center are across the board in most disciplines. Our allied health programs remain full and we expect full classes in all career and technical classes this fall..”Adam Breerwood, Dean of Student Services at PRCC, says it is a busy summer on the Poplarville campus.”We have 106 students in our dorms during the first term and we are expecting more than that during the second term,” he said. “Our campus is going to be filled this summer with a variety of camps, too. We have sports camps, band camps and many others that are going to keep us busy.”According to Chuck Abadie, Director of Public Relations, the reasons for growth at all locations are expanded class offerings and an increase in marketing efforts.”We continue to offer quality, affordability and accessibility, which helps from a travel standpoint for our commuter students. Our marketing, as well as some of our recruiting efforts throughout our six-county district, have been a big plus for us. We have a lot of good things happening at Pearl River.”