Enrollment on the rise at Erie Community College

Enrollment at Erie Community College continues to soar, according to Randyll Bowen, ECC associate vice president for enrollment management and marketing.

For the fall 2006 semester, 13,080 students were enrolled at ECC, an increase of 3 percent compared with fall 2005. At ECC's winter session this year, there were 525 students, a jump of 22 percent from winter session 2006, and 12,377 students are attending ECC this semester, an increase of 3 percent compared with spring 2006.

"ECC's strong enrollment figures can be attributed to several factors," including recent partnerships with companies such as Ford, General Motors, Kaleida Health, Mollenberg-Betz, National Grid and Perry's Ice Cream, Bowen said.

"Our community is realizing that they have one of the best community colleges in New York State right in their back yard and are taking full advantage of the wide range of high-quality programs and services ECC has to offer," he said.

ECC offers more than 70 accredited academic degree and fast-track certificate programs in four academic divisions - health sciences, business and public service, engineering and technologies, and liberal arts. The college has recently added three new certificate programs - information systems security, crime scene technology and homeland security.

ECC, the fourth-largest community college in New York State, has been ranked among the top 100 two-year colleges in the nation in awarding associate degrees, according to Community College Week's annual report, "100 Top Associate's Degree and Certificate Producers in 2006."