(Estherville)– More good new for enrollment this fall at Iowa Lakes Community College. College President Val Newhouse tells KUOO news credit hours over the summer were up by about 30 percent. And she says that trend continues this fall, with about a five percent increase in head count and a 7.1 percent increase in credit hours.
Newhouse attributes most of the increase to the economy and the slight downturn that still exists. She says many who are affected see community colleges as a great chance to get trained in new fields, while being able to stay in the local area.
And when it comes to demographics, Newhouse says the average age of the student body continues to go up, due in part to the same reason.
On another note, Iowa Lakes Community College is looking into the possibility of offering a new program. Newhouse says they’re looking into starting up a veterinary tech program at the Emmetsburg campus. But she says they still need to clear several regulatory hurdles before that’s final. If all goes well she says Iowa Lakes could begin offering the new program a year from now…in the fall of 2011.
