Preliminary enrollment figures for Bevill State Community College indicate an 11.4 percent increase this fall over fall 2008.

Unofficial enrollment for the fall semester at the College is 4,516 credit-bearing students for the semester, up from 4,055 a year ago.

Official enrollment will not be finalized and submitted to the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education until the end of the semester. The final number will have some fluctuation as students either enroll in second mini-term courses or withdraw later in the year.

President Anne McNutt said the increase is an indication of multiple factors.

“Of course, we know that national trends show an increase in community college enrollment when the economy takes a downturn, and I believe that is a factor in our increase,” McNutt said. “I also believe we have a marketing and recruiting team that is working very hard to spread the message about the positive impact that Bevill State has on the lives of our students.”

The increases in enrollment are being seen across all three major teaching divisions of the College. From Fall 2008 to Fall 2009, the College has seen a 12.8 percent increase in students enrolling in health science courses, a 11.5 percent increase in academic transfer courses, and a 7.4 percent increase in career technical education courses.

College statistics also indicate students are enrolling in more classes. While overall enrollment is up 11.4 percent, the number of credit hours students are enrolled in has increased 15.4 percent for the same time period.

“We know we have a number of students who have been laid off or downsized from their jobs, and these students are seeking retraining,” McNutt said. “Bevill State offers a place to improve skills and or learn new skills, and we have a lot of individuals taking advantage of that.”

The number that is not reflected in these statistics is the large number of non-credit training opportunities available at BSCC. In the 2008-09 academic year, the College provided some type of training to over 20,000 individuals in the service area.

“I expect we will meet or exceed 20,000 individuals trained again this year,” McNutt said. “Bevill State has a tremendous amount to offer to the community.”

For information on classes or other training programs, contact the BSCC Office of Student Services at 1-800-648-3271.