Community college’s enrollment soars

SENATOBIA — Northwest Mississippi Community College reports a 22 percent enrollment surge over the past two years, a trend officials believe is largely the result of people looking for affordable higher education.

The rise includes an enrollment increase of 392 students this fall.

Enrollment totals after the last day of late registration include 3,711 students at the Senatobia-based college’s DeSoto County campus at DeSoto Center in Southaven, followed by 3,497 at the main Senatobia campus. The school also enrolled 1,548 at its Lafayette-Yalobusha Technical Center campus in Oxford for a total enrollment of 8,756.

Dr. Chuck Strong, vice president of education affairs, tells The Commerical Appeal that nine new faculty positions were added this fall to accommodate the growing enrollment.