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College Increases Enrollment, Breaking With National Trend
CHARLOTTE, NC – While many colleges and universities across the country are seeing a decline in enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic, Carolinas College of Health Sciences welcomed its largest class ever during the most recent semester.
For fall 2020, Carolinas College enrolled 514 students, an increase of 8% when compared to 476 for the fall 2019 semester. Nationally, the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 contributed to a drop in undergraduate enrollment of 3.6% during that same time period, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
During periods of uncertainty, students often consider a more reliable career path, such as healthcare. Carolinas College saw a similar enrollment increase during the uncertainty of the Great Recession in 2008.
Carolinas College, which is owned by Atrium Health, is dedicated solely to healthcare programs, offering programs in a variety of career paths including imaging, nursing and laboratory sciences. Most students step into jobs right after graduation, often within Atrium Health.
“We’re thrilled to be an option for people who are looking for a stable career that’s both reliable and rewarding,” said T. Hampton Hopkins, EdD, president of Carolinas College of Health Sciences. “At the same time, we’re continuing to provide a pipeline of well-trained workers who can contribute to the continued success of Atrium Health at such a critical time.”
Ashley Fields, a mother of five children (ages 17, 15, 7 and 6-month-old twins), lost both of her jobs as a bartender and bus driver last year when the pandemic started to escalate. Fields, who had previously graduated from a medical assistant program in 2005, decided it was time to turn back to healthcare to provide stability for herself and her family. She enrolled in the Phlebotomy program at Carolinas College, starting in August 2020 and graduating last month.
“I figured I would use the opportunity while not working to go into the medical field,” Fields said. “The program’s not that long - it’s only 14 weeks. It’s something I could get into and out of, but I could also have job security while the pandemic is going on.”
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