As a returning student at TMCC, you may have noticed there have been more classes to choose from, a few more students in your classes, and more happening on campus between classes, too. For the first time since before the pandemic, TMCC students are back with a vengeance. In Fall 2024, students enrolled in for-credit courses at TMCC top over 11,000—which is a significant increase over the 9,923 students enrolled in Fall 2021.
What’s the most exciting thing about this increase in students? The opportunities it offers for collaboration and diversity.
Recent conversations with two of TMCC’s leaders show the commitment and planning that have resulted in these increases. To support the growing student body, TMCC is working overtime to provide an authentic college experience and a variety of student services. With student headcount up 8% over the academic year 2024, TMCC is keeping pace with students in the classroom and on campus, with expanded services, renovated spaces, and activities.
“With enrollment increases comes a commitment to meeting and delivering services at scale,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Jeffrey Alexander. “Our president has made a tremendous effort to build (services) out in a way that other colleges haven't done, and I think we've kept pace there. As the student population grows and as we have an in-person student population with at least half of our full-time enrollment (FTE), that begets further opportunities, like athletics and a fitness center. And a robust tutoring program that is meeting those needs, for example.”
Estella Levario Gutierrez, Vice President of Student Services and Diversity, agrees. “We're here to make sure that students are successful. I think with increased enrollment, what that tells us in Student Services is that making sure that students are here and engaging in activities, and helps with student life here on campus.”
Student Increases Across the College
With over 7,800 degree-seeking students attending classes this fall—and another 3,250 who are enrolled in for-credit classes—it’s remarkable that TMCC has been able to accommodate this growth in in-person, online, and hybrid enrollment. It begs the question: why are so many students choosing to come to TMCC at this time?
The easy answer is that TMCC has strategically prepared for students across a variety of efforts, making a community college education more attractive and accessible, based on increased enrollment and program unit reviews. Alexander acknowledged that coming out of the pandemic was a struggle: “It took a lot of very diligent, careful decision-making. Those decisions are paying off. They are.”
A few examples of the wide range of initiatives, Alexander said, include: “We’ve been connecting more personally with the workforce and the high schools. And we're getting good quality people; the caliber of instructor we've hired of late, in almost every case has been top shelf.”
One thing that’s helped attract students to many programs is new equipment and enhanced facilities like learning lab classrooms in areas like Technical Sciences and Public Health. Alexander notes: “The support that we've received from the state, from GOED and WINN funds to finance the development and completion of these training labs, which is for Panasonic, and to acquire that equipment has been generous, and we've put it to good use. Our conscious effort has been to ensure that we're keeping the facilities and the equipment up-to-date, and this is making a difference.”
When he’s interacting with business and community leaders, Alexander often hears that TMCC students become well-trained graduates, who can be employed–and remain employed. “The reputation of the training is significant. We're hearing from the advisory boards, and from the companies that are on those boards… they’re saying, ‘We love the caliber of your grads who are coming out of this program.’”
Outside of the classroom, Gutierrez notes that expanded services play an important role in supporting students. “We're very excited to receive all of these new students. It's an opportunity to serve students with our programs, especially if you're a first-generation student, a veteran, a student with a disability, or in need of counseling or advising services.”
“We’re also looking forward and having conversations with the Washoe County School District, to make sure that these growing numbers of students have a seamless transition from the district to TMCC. We’re seeing with students, there's a lot of anxiety, and I think that's just post-COVID, and because we've just had an election, and so there are numerous reasons as to why students utilize the Counseling Center,” she said.
Predictions for the Future Growth of TMCC
Gutierrez acknowledges that some naysayers still hold outdated opinions about community colleges and what they offer to students.
“[Over the years] there's been some misperceptions about community college,” she said. “I think this is our time. I knew someday that (community colleges) were going to be so critical because we offer short-term degrees and all these options, and I think that is a perfect recipe for success. When it comes to the economic portion, we are an engine that feeds into that. And so I'm excited, because we meet the needs of all of our community, whether you're an adult, or whether you're young.”
Based on market trends and job growth, Alexander paints a rosy picture of a variety of career choices for students. “TMCC is poised to connect with the community, and is only growing as a result of some of these programmatic changes and enrollment increases in those areas,” he said.
First, Alexander says, as students graduate, they’ll support the growth of the very community we live in, related to each of the five academic divisions offered at the College, including:
- Growth in advanced manufacturing and related technical sciences to support growth in housing, leading to the continuation of partnerships with general contractors and carpenters.
- Healthcare fields continue to grow, and student cohorts are increasing in some competitive entry programs such as dental hygiene and nursing. We also offer transfer programs such as business, psychology, and sociology. Social Work is growing because students always have an interest in counseling.
- TMCC’s new partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno on the EPACT RED grant will renovate engineering departments, and provide better transfer articulation pathways for students from engineering, from TMCC to UNR.
- Students in TMCC’s education program are helping to continue the teacher pipeline in Washoe County School District, from which students can pursue a bachelor’s degree and then teacher licensure and certification.
- Performing Arts, including fine arts, visual arts, and performing arts, is poised to make great strides, especially if we build a theater in the future.
To bring the point home, Gutierrez shared one final story about three brothers who have all studied at TMCC and have each been part of the TMCC Men’s Soccer team over the past five years. “What’s unique is that one brother comes, or one sibling comes, and then the rest follow...and they become great individuals who then transfer to another college. I speak to these students and alumni that I've met through the years, and now they're professionals. I've seen them and their children, become amazing, contributing individuals for our community.”
For more information about TMCC enrollment, please contact our Institutional Research Office.