The College Fix

Texas community college works with Tesla, Samsung to offer career specific programs

Despite low enrollment trends linked to student debt, workforce changes, COVID-19, and more, some colleges are celebrating record student numbers this fall.

Austin Community College District is one of them, with about 17,000 students enrolled in at least one online course this semester and 6,000 taking eight-week classes.

Jenna Hege, the college’s vice chancellor of institutional research and analytics, told The College Fix in a recent phone interview that adaptation is crucial in making sure college is still relevant and attractive to students.

“We did experience some of the enrollment declines that others have seen post COVID-19, but there have been, I think, several factors that have helped support us kind of get back on track and see some really nice growth more recently,” Hege said.

The college, which serves six counties across central Texas, offers job-ready training programs that facilitate post-graduate placement.

“We’re putting more emphasis on helping students with their career selection, so in our Student Success courses, we’re adding new content around that,” Hege told The Fix.

“Students know we’re working closely with a variety of employers like Tesla, Samsung, NXP, as well as lots of healthcare providers, so they know we’re aligning curriculums to prepare individuals with the skills they need to go get a great job with good wages,” she said.

The college also has worked to address concerns about student debt by keeping tuition low for the past decade, Hege said.

“Starting this fall, we’ve also added a free tuition program for graduating high school seniors who are going to be able to come for three years for free and be on their way to transfer,” Hege told The Fix.

“Sometimes, the old advice was, ‘Come get your basics out of the way,’ but we know that really hasn’t worked well for students,” Hege said.

One of the things ACC does is help students develop “a clear focus on what they want to accomplish — what kind of award, certificate or degree they want to go after. We want to help students get that clarity as early as possible in their educational journey,” Hege told The Fix.

Declining enrollment has been a concern in higher education in recent years, with some reports pointing to low birth rates, economic changes, and tuition costs. Others have blamed low enrollment on delays with the rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid form for the current school year.

Between the fall of 2010 and 2021, undergraduate enrollment declined 15 percent, with the sharpest drop after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

A steady decline in the birthrate since 2009 also means fewer students overall, and projections from the Centers for Disease Control suggest the trend continues to accelerate.

Declines have forced schools like the University of North Carolina, Greensboro to strike 20 programs. Meanwhile, more than 100 colleges have closed altogether or merged in the past eight years, The Fix reported.

However, others like The Master’s University in California and Grand Canyon University in Arizona are reporting higher than usual enrollment rates for the fall semester. Both are private, evangelical Protestant Christian universities.

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At Grand Canyon, enrollment increased 6 percent for this fall, according to a news release shared with The Fix. Its overall student population is more than 125,000, the largest in its 75-year history.

Katie Sprunger, who graduated from GCU in the spring, told The Fix in phone interview last week how she witnessed the lead-up to this landmark for her alma mater.

“The school grew a ton from my freshman year to my senior year, and because GCU is growing so big a lot of the programs are so big — which can have pros and cons,” Sprunger said.

“For example, there’s a lot more clubs coming up because they’re student-run, and with more coming in, there’s a lot more students willing to step into those roles to lead in either building community at GCU or providing more educational opportunities which is awesome,” she said.

While enjoying the increased campus diversity, Sprunger recounted pressures on parking, housing, and meal services from the influx her senior year, requiring the school to catch up even with maintenance and basic advisory services.

GCU responded this summer, reporting solutions like a new entrance light, academic buildings, and plans to continue construction of new apartments in the coming months.

Sprunger also attributed the university’s spiritual impact to its growth, which is consistent with recent enrollment increases at devout Catholic institutions.

GCU President Brian Mueller said in the news release the university’s focus on traditional Christian values is attracting students.

“Teaching from a Christian worldview perspective produces graduates who are known for their integrity, servant leadership and ability to solve problems in a collaborative environment,” Mueller stated. “We have become very attractive to students and families because we teach from that perspective, but we also have many students who don’t come from a faith background and wish to come here for other reasons.”

MORE: Colleges aim to increase enrollment by admitting students who didn’t apply

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