Record-breaking enrollment at RPCC

SORRENTO-River Parishes Community College in Sorrento started fall semester classes on Monday with a record number of students enrolled, and the total continued to climb throughout the first week of school.

According to Allison Vicknair, Dean of Students and Enrollment, almost 1,800 students registered for more than 230 classes. Vicknair said this is quite a change from when she first began working at RPCC ten years ago.

“It is really exciting to see all the new faces as well as our returning students. The campus is just buzzing and the parking lots are all filled with cars,” said Vicknair.

According to Vicknair, the 25% growth in enrollment is partially due to the increased number of high school students participating in the Louisiana Board of Regents Early Start Program. The Early Start program enables high school juniors and seniors who qualify to take college courses which will earn them college credits as well as credits toward high school graduation.

Nearly 200 Early Start students enrolled at RPCC this fall come from Assumption High School in Napoleonville, Sumner High School in Kentwood, and from the four Ascension Parish high schools.

Vicknair said students from technical colleges have also contributed to RPCC’s increased enrollment. Cross enrollment agreements and partnerships between RPCC and many of the technical colleges across south Louisiana brings LTC students from six different campuses to take their academic requirements in English, chemistry, algebra, and other general education courses from RPCC.

Dr. Joe Ben Welch, RPCC Chancellor, said the teaching staff deserves a lot of credit for the college’s growing enrollment.

“Our instructors are highly qualified, but they do more than just teach,” said Welch. “They give a lot of personal attention to our students, and we have found that word-of-mouth has been our greatest advertising.”

Welch added that RPCC ranks among the top colleges in Louisiana when it comes to student satisfaction.

“We pride ourselves on providing the best possible learning environment for our students by keeping our class sizes small,” said Dr. Crystal Lee, Dean of Instruction. “Our small class sizes are one of the things students tell us that they like best about our school.”