Saipan Tribune

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Over 400 enroll on Day 1 of NMC Spring registration

Over 400 students trooped to the Northern Marianas College on Monday to register for the new semester.

As of Monday, the institution reported a total of 442 full-time equivalent (FTE) students on the first day of weeklong registration period. The figure represents an increase of about 4.5 percent from the same time last year or in Spring 2012, when 423 FTE students enrolled by the first day of regular registration.

Enrollment for the Spring 2013 semester will continue until the end of this week, and the number of enrolled students is expected to rise throughout the week. Final enrollment numbers will be made available after registration for classes has passed.

FTE is calculated by taking the total number credits students have registered for and dividing that figure by 12 (minimum number needed to be a full-time student).

NMC president Sharon Y. Hart, Ph.D, said yesterday that the college continues to post strong enrollment numbers.

“While it is important that we look at the number of students served under our credit programs, it is equally important that we look at the numbers served in our non-credit programs like the Community Development Institute and the Adult Basic Education Program,” said Hart, adding that the college has served thousands of individuals in these programs.

The president said there is no mistaking that NMC continues to play a central role in educating and training thousands of individuals each year, and this has been accomplished through the institution's academic programs and other community programs that focus on training and development.

According to Leo Pangelinan, dean of Student Services, there are several factors that have contributed to the continued increase in enrollment.

“We continue to engage many students through the College Access Challenge Grant Program like the Start Smart seminars, the Cash for College Workshops, and other activities,” he said.

He also noted that the college is also stepping up its efforts to recruit adult students who have delayed college enrollment for one reason or another.

The CNMI Scholarship Office has also implemented new regulations requiring new scholarship applicants to attend NMC for their first two years of college in order to receive financial assistance. The college also now offers the TEACH Grant, which provides scholarship funds to students pursuing a teaching career.

The college offers several degree programs, including a bachelor of science degree in education (concentrations in elementary education, early childhood education, special education, or rehabilitation and human services), associate degrees in business, business administration (emphasis in accounting, business management, or computer applications), liberal arts, nursing, natural resources management, criminal justice, and hospitality management. Moreover, it offers short-term certificate programs in different vocational, academic, and professional areas.