Partnerships with K-12 schools, strong online presence fuel record numbers

Jackson College’s enrollment continues to climb, with fall student headcount at 5,749 and billing contact hours at 50,498. That’s up nearly 350 students from last year and 2,807 additional billing contact hours.

Growth is especially strong among dual-enrolled high school students and early/middle college students, with 1,788 enrolled this fall — representing 31 percent of the student population. With increasing options for high school students to earn free or significantly reduced college credits, more are taking advantage of these opportunities. Over the past five years, dual enrollment has grown 55 percent in Jackson County and 114 percent among out-of-county students. Also, the Corrections Education Program enrollment has grown, with more than 800 students.

Statewide initiatives such as the Michigan Community College Guarantee and Michigan Reconnect have also helped boost enrollment growth, said Stephanie Waffle-Stephenson, director of new student engagement and director of Jackson College Hillsdale. At the same time, Jackson College continues to listen to students and adjust services and programs based on their feedback and interests.

“We have stayed committed to offering academic programs that lead to high-demand, high-paying careers, guided by the input of our program advisory councils and the communities we serve,” Waffle-Stephenson said. “At Jackson College, we want our students and communities to know that their voices matter. When we make changes, it’s because we’ve listened — and that builds trust and reliability.”

Major improvements to the admissions process — such as streamlining communications, increasing proactive outreach, and creating new ways for students to complete enrollment steps without slipping through the cracks — have also made a difference. “Since making these changes, we have consistently seen enrollment increases each semester,” Waffle-Stephenson said. “And institutionally, this progress hasn’t been the work of just one person or one department — it’s truly been a collective effort by the entire Jackson College community.”

Lenawee County has also seen growth, with 1,042 “Lenawee-connected” students enrolled — the highest number since 2015. Students can take classes at the Lenawee Campus, at another campus, online, or through a combination of options. Zak McNitt, director of Jackson College Lenawee, said more late-start options are also available. “We really focused on a rededication to our county K-12 partners and our LISD partners,” McNitt said. “It was important to get back into our county schools and start pushing our dual enrollment opportunities to local families. We have seen tremendous growth in this population, and they are very successful students.” He also credited the dedicated staff at the Lenawee Campus: “We work to provide a high level of support to our students both in the high schools and at our campus. We want to meet students where they are and do what we can to ensure their success.”

Overall, enrollment breaks down to about 73 percent part-time and 27 percent full-time students. Online enrollment remains strong, with 4,863 students taking at least one online course.

Enrolling and retaining students is vital to Jackson College. Dr. Alytrice Brown, chief student services officer and vice president of student services, credited the JC Student Services team — including Financial Aid, the Center for Student Success, Student Resources, and Student Success Navigators — with ensuring students have the support they need to stay enrolled. “Retaining more students and enrolling new students is the key to continued growth for Jackson College,” Brown said.

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