College of DuPage sees enrollment increase for third consecutive year

As the academic year begins, the College of DuPage is buzzing with activity in classrooms, labs, playing fields and practice rooms.

Enrollment at COD has risen for the third consecutive year. More than 26,200 students are studying in the credit-based programs this fall, a 13% increase from 2023. Thousands more, ranging in age from 5 to 105, take advantage of the continuing education offerings.

Community colleges are centered on three things: access, affordability and accountability. We provide educational access to all who enter. Almost 1,000 people benefit from the Adult Education program. More than 1,000 high school students take advantage of the dual credit offerings.

Students come to College of DuPage to prepare for transfer to a university, to engage in workforce training, or to update their skills. We welcome and support them all.

Community colleges are affordable. According to the College Board, tuition and fees at community colleges in 2023-24 averaged 35% of the in-state tuition and fees at public four-year institutions. With the help of federal and state financial aid, two-thirds of the students can avoid the burden of debt that is too often associated with a college education. Dual credit lowers the cost even further.

We are accountable to you, the members of the communities we serve. A recent study by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation showed that nearly half of Americans have confidence in community colleges. COD class sizes are small, enabling the faculty to focus on student achievement and success.

The Gallup study “Great Jobs, Great Lives” found that workplace engagement and success were correlated with having a professor who cared about them as a person and a mentor who encouraged them to pursue their goals and dreams.

At College of DuPage, this can happen because classes are led by faculty, not teaching assistants. Small classes are conducive to interaction and hands-on learning.

Students are both challenged and supported in doing their best by faculty who serve as role models and mentors. Internships, field studies, service-learning opportunities and study abroad programs enrich the educational experience and expand student horizons.

More than 80 student clubs and leadership opportunities develop organizational and professional skills and foster friendships that last a lifetime.

For more than 40 years, I have worked in education at both two- and four-year institutions, including six years as president of Mid Michigan College. I am a champion of the merits of a college education, no matter your background or interests.

Once earned, your education and degree are treasures that no one can take from you, even in life’s more difficult moments.

More than 150,000 alums will attest that this is true of College of DuPage.

• Dr. Christine M. Hammond is the interim president at College of DuPage.