Published October 5, 2023
Preliminary fall census day figures released by the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) on Sept. 27 show that Dodge City Community College (DC3) is the only community college in the state that has posted both 1-year and 5-year gains for headcount enrollment.
For fall 2023, DC3’s current student headcount was 1,737, which represents a 2.4% increase over the previous fall and a 12.6% increase compared to five years ago.
“I am extremely proud of our enrollment figures,” DC3 President, Dr. Harold Nolte, said. “These results are not by accident, but by hard work. Our administration, faculty and staff go the extra mile day in and day out to get the word out about Dodge City Community College. I often say that our job is simply to recruit, to retain, to educate, and to graduate. These increases in enrollment are proof that we are on the right track.”
According to the KBOR report, the state’s public higher education system has experienced a 2% overall increase in enrollment as of the 20th-day fall census compared to the prior year. This increase, which is across the system, reflects that the public university, community college and technical college sectors are all seeing growth in enrollment.
“We are encouraged to see enrollment growth across our system this year,” KBOR President and CEO Blake Flanders, said. “With initiatives such as increased student financial aid, a common general education package, and growing opportunities for students to participate in applied learning and internships, our system has made important strides to increase affordability, access, and success and begun to reverse a long trend of declining enrollment. We look forward to continuing this work and serving Kansas families and businesses.”
In addition to DC3’s positive data from KBOR, Research.com, which is a platform in the field of academic research and education, released its Best Colleges in America 2023 Report on Oct. 2. In this report, DC3 was ranked No. 2 in the Best Value College in Kansas category and was recognized with the Best Value College in Kansas and Best Value College in the Midwest awards.
By Lance ZieschDC3 Assistant Director of Marketing and Community Relations