The epoch times

SUNY Orange President Kristine Young discusses enrollment growth.

Enrollment at Orange County Community College Sees⁢ Significant Increase

At the beginning of the fall⁤ semester, 3,952⁢ students ⁢ chose to pursue a degree at Orange County Community College, up 276 ⁤compared to the previous year.

The community college, also known as SUNY Orange, is⁣ part of the State University⁤ of New York (SUNY) ⁢system and operates​ two campuses,‌ one in Middletown and the other in Newburgh.

Aside from the‍ nearly 8 percent student ⁣enrollment jump, the college also saw an 11 percent increase in the enrolled ​credit hours.

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“Eleven percent is very good news, and‍ more⁣ than doubled what we ​expected,” SUNY Orange ‍President Kristine ​Young told The Epoch Times on Sept. 1.

“I’ve been ⁢talking ‌with faculty this week, and a ‌lot⁣ of them said to me, ‘My classes are full,’ or⁢ ‘I ⁤let a couple extra students into my classes,’” she ⁣said. “So it feels like students ⁣are coming ​back.”

Much of the enrollment increase can be‌ attributed to the ongoing efforts ‍to retain‍ existing students and attract new ones, according to Ms. ‌Young.

Continuing students increased by ‌ 8 percent, while first-time students jumped by 28 percent this⁤ fall.

SUNY Orange is one of ‍the ‌first 10 community colleges in ⁣the state university system to ‍participate in ⁢the Guided⁢ Pathways program, ​designed to⁤ help students identify and​ stay⁢ focused ‍on their chosen career tracks.

“When a student comes in, we think about their academic program from the very beginning to the very end,” she said. “Every student ‌is ‍part of an academic community and‌ has access ⁤to ​a ‍coach who can help ​them find resources they need on their⁤ journey here, be it tutoring, mental health,‍ and food pantry.”

SUNY Orange President Kristine ‍Young (Courtesy of​ SUNY Orange)

The college has also been running⁤ a student success center in the library that provides core services under one roof.

“None of⁤ our students live here, and they might come to the campus ⁢just long enough to go to their class and ⁤then maybe go ‌to a job or⁣ watch their own children,” ⁢Ms. Young said. “With a student success center, a student really only has to‌ go to one place and say, ‘I ⁢need ⁢help.’

“So we⁤ keep challenging ourselves as a college to‍ design ​everything we do​ around the ⁢students instead of ⁢designing it for ourselves,”⁢ she⁢ added.

The college has also been using federal grant ​money to make ⁢its services more welcoming to Hispanic students, who account for about a quarter of its student body.

“For Hispanic families, ‍when ‍a student⁣ chooses to go to ⁤college, it is very important ⁢for the whole family to be involved,” Ms. Young said. “That’s where ‍we got the idea to do‌ a ⁤family orientation. We invite our new students and their whole families ⁣to come to ⁤the campus.”

Hispanic students have the largest percentage increase this fall, at nearly ‌ 16 percent, followed ‍by black students at ‍ 14 ​percent; ⁤both groups saw the biggest dips following the pandemic.

Though ⁤increasing, the total enrollment number at SUNY Orange still falls short of ⁢pre-pandemic levels.

Student trustee ⁣designee Djean Nikitov (with scissors), along with ‌SUNY Orange ‍President Kristine Young (left) and board⁣ chair Ralph Martucci (center), ​as well as members ⁤of the ‍student ⁢senate,⁢ college‍ administration, ‍and board of ​trustees, celebrate the grand opening ⁣of⁤ the new student lounge on the ⁣SUNY Orange campus in Middletown, N.Y.,​ on Aug. 28, 2023. ⁢(Courtesy of SUNY Orange)

Ms. Young said ⁣the college would ​continue to drive up ⁢enrollment by ongoing student retention and recruitment‌ efforts ⁤while looking to implement ⁢new strategies.

This fall, a one-credit course⁤ is⁤ offered for ​the ‍first time to guide new students through ‍their​ college ‌life.

The college also unveiled‌ a new 8,000-square-foot student lounge.



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