When enrollment at The University of Akron Wayne College hit a record-high last year, school administration was excited, but not sure if the College had reached a plateau. However, Wayne had another record-high enrollment number this year, with 2623 students enrolled as of the first day of fall classes.
Of those students, over 700 were first-year Wayne students and approximately 380 were high school students looking to get a head start on college through Wayne’s tuition-free post-secondary and academy programs. All of the high school programs offered by Wayne College allow students to earn both high school and college credit simultaneously. The new Orrville and Rittman academies are held on the high school campuses and were made possible by a partnership between the high schools, The University of Akron Wayne College and The J.M. Smucker Company.
According to Interim Dean Paulette Popovich, the College’s growth has been due to innovative programming and partnerships. She says the College is committed to offering local residents “affordable excellence” in higher education and has built solid partnerships to help meet that goal.
New programs added for the 2011-2012 school year include a Saturday MBA program and a Bachelor of Organizational Supervision (BOS) degree as well as a nursing partnership program. The nursing partnership classes are held at Wayne College and the Wayne County Schools Career Center. This program allows students to earn their LPN, LPN to RN or RN to BSN without leaving Wayne County.
Popovich said Wayne offers students within driving distance of the College a way to achieve their academic goals without the added expense of living on a residential campus for four years.
“Many students attend Wayne for two years, then go on to the University of Akron or another university to finish up their bachelor’s degree,” said Popovich. “Additionally, a significant number of students would like to earn their bachelor’s degrees without leaving this area at all.”
Popovich notes that there are currently two bachelor degree options that can be completed on the Wayne Campus and a third that can be completed online, the Bachelor of Postsecondary Technical Education degree.
Wayne College is located at 1901 Smucker Road, Orrville. In addition to the new programming offered this year, the College also offers seven associate degree programs, the first two years of most bachelor’s degrees, and numerous continuing education and workforce development classes. More information about Wayne College can be found on the College’s website www.wayne.uakron.edu or by calling 800-221-8308.