As the weather turns cool and we enter the last week of Daylight Savings Time, it is impossible not to notice how quickly the semester is progressing. The past two months have been busy ones, with some events well-planned—such as hosting the Board of Regents on campus—and others, like natural disasters, not of our making.
Even at a pace that makes the weeks fly by, we have remained focused on the goals we identified at the beginning of the academic year. One of the things we have deliberately engaged in is a Focus on Enrollment. Faculty, staff, Deans and administrators have worked hard to create more and better options for our students.
Not only do we have new degree programs starting in January, such as a new Bachelor’s of Contemporary Musicianship, but we are looking at better ways to deliver classes. One of the challenges to program delivery across five campus is also one of our biggest strengths as an institution—our diversity.
Our students run the gamut from 16 year-old dual-enrollment high school students to traditional college students to veterans—who we celebrate year-round and especially next week—to working adults seeking the credentials needed to advance or change careers. Beginning in January, we will pilot weekend classes on our Warner Robins Campus.
Registration for Spring and Summer began last week and these new approaches are yielding green shoots when it comes to enrollment. For instance, our new Saturday classes have already attracted nearly a dozen students.
Beyond better serving existing students, we want to continue to attract new ones. To that end, we are excited that the change of seasons also brings the start of “Apply to College Month.” During the month of November, prospective students can apply to Middle Georgia State University for free.
All of us who work and study here know what a special place this is. In the coming weeks, as you engage with your friends, family, and neighbors, if they are considering higher education, remind them of the value available to them right here in Middle Georgia.