EVANSVILLE - Ivy Tech Community College-Southwest has about a 1 percent increase in enrollment numbers compared to last year, according to Chancellor Jonathan Weinzapfel.
For 2014, Ivy Tech's Southwest region has 5,539 students. That figure is from the census count, which occurs 10 days after classes begin, explained school spokeswoman Rachel Nadeau. In 2013, the Evansville-based region had 5,475 students.
"Frankly, we are the only region in the state to show an increase," Weinzapfel said. "Although obviously it is very modest. What's interesting is that what we're seeing is a real change in the makeup of our student body."
Ivy Tech has seen a "significant increase" this year of about 18 percent in local high school students taking advantage of dual credit opportunities compared to 2013, Weinzapfel said. For this semester, there are 3,350 enrolled in dual-credit courses, but some students may be enrolled in more than one such class.
As well as a "significant increase" of high school graduates enrolling directly into Ivy Tech of about 218 percent compared to last year.
Weinzapfel noted those increases are "balanced out" by a decrease in the number of nontraditional students attending Ivy Tech. Nontraditional is defined by Ivy Tech as students older than 25.
Especially for students older than 25, Weinzapfel said this could be attributed to the economy.
"These are the folks that would typically come to Ivy Tech in order to get a job," he said. "And if the economy is such and unemployment is getting lower, these are folks that are finding job opportunities without having to go through Ivy Tech."
While it's good to see a modest increase, Weinzapfel said more importantly it shows Ivy Tech officials they need to continue to be creative in how the school is marketed to potential students.
A new program this year is a partnership with the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. Weinzapfel said he is excited about the College Connection Coach program that embeds an Ivy Tech official at Harrison and Central high schools. The employee will work with the two high school guidance counselors to identify students that are potentially a "good fit" for Ivy Tech, and talk to students about career opportunities, as well as the need to take dual credit courses.
"This is the first year we've done this, so statistically we can't say it's a success," Weinzapfel said. "But intuitively it just makes a lot of sense."