DUBLIN — Enrollment at Bladen Community College remains consistently strong as the college welcomes 1,341 students to classes for the spring semester.
“Our current 2016 spring enrollment is only marginally different from our 2015 headcount”, remarks Barry Priest, vice-president for Student Services.
While the enrollment trend among the 58 community colleges in the North Carolina Community College System has been declining slightly, BCC remains consistent with previous semesters.
“At BCC, our presence in the high school system is an integral part of our enrollment recruitment. This month, we will enroll 80-85 high school students in our Career Technical Education Pathways,” states Priest. The CTEP program includes welding, electrical, machining, cosmetology, and emergency medical services.
“We also have 239 high school sophomores taking ACA 115 through a program called North Carolina IRIS,” Priest added.
ACA 115 provides an orientation to college resources and the academic skills necessary to achieve one’s educational objectives. The class encourages and prepares students to improve their college success.
Priest said Bladen Community College is committed to having a presence in the high schools, where students are given multiple opportunities to experience the college academic life. Cierra Griffin serves the college as a dedicated liaison between area high school students and the college.
“Two days a week, I work in an office at one of our two high schools, meeting with students, and providing support for their career goals,” she said. “I represent BCC, but I also advise students about their personal ambitions, regardless of where those ambitions may take them.”
“We have an excellent collaborative relationship with the public school system,” explains Priest. “We understand the mutual communication we need and the ultimate student success we can generate.”
The college continues to experience high enrollment in the Emergency Medical Science Program. According to Donald Bryan, director for Emergency Medical Services, “The EMS, Fire, and In-Service Law Enforcement classes at BCC trained over 3,000 people last year, in 275 classes.” The 2015 Paramedic courses achieved a record-breaking 93% of students passing their certification exams on the first attempt.
In the fall, BCC began Medical Office Administration, a new program to the campus. This allows students who have a degree in Office Administration and who took the medical track to add a second degree with only six additional courses. Lee Anne Bryan, department chair of Business Programs, remarks, “The addition of Medical Office Administration gives the student very skilled abilities in the growing industry of medicine.”
BCC maintains a positive and proactive outreach into the community. With classes on both the Dublin and East Arcadia campuses, the college is committed to providing a way for men and women to get the educational opportunities they need.
For information about classes at BCC, call 910-879-5500 and speak with a counselor, or visit www.bladencc.edu.
Cathy Kinlaw is the public information director at Bladen Community College.