The Lebanon Campus of HACC first enrolled its 1000th student last fall. Students still may enroll up to Aug. 30, and those enrolling in evening or weekend classes can enroll until Sept. 10.
"We're attracting not only students from Lebanon County but from surrounding counties, as well, and some students are taking classes here and at other HACC campuses at the same time," Ralph Dyer, interim dean for the Lebanon Campus of HACC.
"This campus makes an impact on our immediate community, as many of our graduates stay here to work in Lebanon County. We also have allied health programming working in cooperation with local health facilities," said Dyer. Many HACC gradates also transfer to four-year colleges.
More students also are taking a combination of in-class and on-line courses, and HACC this fall has a new Virtual Campus with its own dean. Enrollment figures for on-line students are being pulled from campus enrollment numbers for the first time.
Signs of growth are evident at all HACC campuses this fall, including the completion of the $22 million campus expansion project that doubles the size of the Lancaster Campus of HACC. Enrollment there is expected to swell to more than 4000 students, an 8 percent increase over last year's enrollment.
The new East building at the Lancaster Campus contains an allied health suite including radiology technology room with a darkroom for the new radiology program, two biology labs and a microbiology lab, and 28 general purpose classrooms all with Internet access.Students have access to four new computer labs, including one equipped with Microsoft A+ certification technology. A workforce and economic development suite offers an on-site area for executive training.
A new lecture hall/multipurpose room is equipped with an electronic folding stage and seating for 140. The art classroom features public areas for displaying artwork. The new building also houses a soundproof music room, language lab and study areas.
The Harrisburg Campus of HACC has the first new construction underway in many years, and the $12 million Select Medical Health Education Pavilion will be completed by fall 2005. The Harrisburg Campus continues to be the largest campus, with enrollments of nearly 8900 students.
More than 1200 students are registered for the fall semester at the Gettysburg Campus of HACC, which required the addition of 89 new parking spaces.
Additionally, there's a strong core of 600 students taking classes at HACC's York Center, which is fast becoming HACC's fifth campus.
As HACC enters its 40th anniversary year, it is recognized as one of the nation's premier community colleges, as well as Pennsylvania's first.
HACC offers more than 120 different certificate, diploma and associate degree options and serves 50,000 non-credit students from HACC's 10-county service areas and beyond. Its open enrollment policy ensures that any student with a high school diploma or GED can enroll in classes.