Kirkwood spring enrollment up 17 percent

Kirkwood Community College set a spring enrollment record, with 16,233 students for spring 2010 semester. That's an increase of 2,338 students, or 16.8 percent, from the same point in 2009.

The spring semester record comes after Kirkwood enrolled a record 17,841 students last fall at 12 campuses and centers in seven counties, a 17.4 percent increase from fall 2008.  The previous Kirkwood enrollment record was 15,466 in 2004.

College officials noted a strong rise in student counts in both part-and full-time classifications, and a credit hour surge as well this spring. Total credit hours were up just over 17 percent from January 2009, for a total of 163,936.

Kirkwood President Mick Starcevich said the student numbers were welcome news to the college and signaled continued economic challenges throughout Iowa.

“There continues to be a large growth in returning adults this semester, reflecting needs in our local economy," Starcevich said. "Many are with us this year for focused job training and their desire to build new work skills.”

The increase in students and credit hours will help offset recent declines in state funding for Kirkwood and other Iowa colleges, he said.