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LCSC has a record 4,542 students
Lewis-Clark State College healthy and sustained enrollment growth continues with another record enrollment of 4,542 and a full-time equivalency of 3,225 for the 2010 fall semester, according to the college's 10th day report.
The growth continues a trend of strong and record-breaking enrollment growth. Last fall, LCSC's enrollment topped 4,000 students for the first time at 4,200. The 2010 fall enrollment is an 8.14 percent increase from a year ago.
The increase also marks the seventh straight semester LCSC has set and an all-time attendance record for either the fall or spring.
Since 2000, LCSC's enrollment has increased 1,840 students, a 68.1 percent increase.
"Our continued enrollment growth is due to a number of factors, including an increase in our freshman class directly from high school, retaining more students, and of course the quality of education our faculty provide," LCSC interim president Tony Fernandez said. "LCSC is a vibrant and healthy institution."
LCSC Dean of Student Services Andy Hanson added that student retention increased nearly 4 percent this year.
"That's a result of renewed effort on the part of the campus community to engage students by making the curriculum and campus life more invigorating," he said.
Fernandez said LCSC offers several strong programs and student success has been phenomenal in the programs. For example, he pointed out the high success rate of Natural Science Division graduates accepted to graduate school in health-related fields. In two of the last three years, the success rate has been 100 percent, while in the third year it was above 90 percent.
"We provide a quality learning experience in a comfortable and safe environment," Fernandez said. "More and more students from our area, across the state of Idaho, and beyond are discovering the value of education at LCSC."
Fernandez credited Hanson and his staff for their outstanding work in helping potential students find a home at LCSC.
"Lewis-Clark State champions access to higher education and focuses on student success," Hanson said. "The faculty and staff have embraced President Fernandez's directive to focus our efforts on the recruitment and retention of students via rigorous, relevant educational programs. It's a focal point we take seriously."
LCSC continues to show impressive growth with numerous fall enrollment records, including highs for freshmen direct out of high school, freshmen overall, minority headcount, concurrent enrollment, and overall enrollment at LCSC-Coeur d'Alene.
All state schools are required to file a 10th day report to the State Board of Education. Enrollment figures are based on the numbers during the 10th day of enrollment, which was last Friday, Sept. 3.
"The increased enrollment has put pressure on the lower division general education classes, but our faculty are rising to the occasion," Fernandez said. "We have a very dedicated faculty at LCSC who put students first."
All six academic and two professional-technical divisions at LCSC reported an increase in student enrollment, led by the Business and Nursing & Health Science divisions. The Business Division increased 83 students to 622 overall, while the Nursing & Health Sciences Division has 69 more student with 671 overall, still the largest division at LCSC. Education is third with 507 students.
LCSC has 2,008 freshmen enrolled this fall, which marks the first time that figure has been over 2,000. It's also an increase of nearly 100 from a year ago and close to double what it was 10 years ago when LCSC had 1,141 freshmen enrolled.
Non-traditional and minority headcounts also continue to rise. LCSC reported 1,437 students aged 26 or older enrolled, which kept the average age of an LCSC student at around 25. Minority enrolment growth jumped 142 students to 572 overall.
Female students continue to outnumber male students by a 60-40 ratio.
Finally, enrollment at LCSC-Coeur d'Alene continues to climb with 429 students, an 8.3 percent increase from the previous year total of 396.
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