Enrollment is up to start out the fall at Lake Michigan College.
Interim Vice President of Student Affairs James Daniels tells us the preliminary numbers are showing an increase of about 4%. While the enrollment is still below pre-pandemic levels, he says things are recovering.
“We’re talking about the pandemic, and we’re talking about starting to recover,” Daniels said. “If we were to talk about the increased enrollment that we currently have…as we start to emerge from the pandemic, people are starting to get a little more used to coming back to public spaces such as churches or buildings and other places. Education is the same. We’re starting to see a few more kids on campus, our in-person classes are up.”
Daniels says some programs, like nursing and some of the trades, can’t be done all online. Students are getting comfortable with returning.
“I still do have students on campus who are still wearing masks. Not a lot, but a few.”
Some students were kept out of physical classes due to their parents being concerned. Daniels adds there are also plenty of adults who left the workforce during the pandemic, but now want to brush up on their skills and get back in.
He notes it is easier than ever to get a community college education without going into debt because of programs like Michigan Reconnect and the LMC Promise.
LMC this year has about 3,100 students.
