Spoon River College officials announced a growth in student enrollment for the fall 2024 semester. Student headcount is up over 3% in 2024 compared to 2023, and nearly 5% increase compared to 2022 (as of census date). SRC has also seen an increase in fall 2024 credit hours from 2023 and 2022.
The increase includes a significant surge in first-time freshmen, up 23% in student headcount and 30% in credit hours.
“We are thrilled to welcome so many new students to Spoon River College, and we’re committed to providing them with the support they need to succeed on their educational paths,” said Missy Wilkinson, Dean of Student Services.
The college also saw an increase in retention rates for high school dual credit students, with nearly 50% of those students enrolling and continuing their college coursework at Spoon River College after they graduate from high school. “This growth highlights the value students see in continuing their education with us,” Wilkinson said.
In addition, enrollment in the college’s Illinois High School Diploma/GED classes saw an 11% increase, up from 137 students last year to 152 this year. Although fewer of this year’s completers continued on with college coursework, those that did took more classes. “While we won’t know for sure until we gather and analyze the data, we believe that decline is because more of the students are going directly into the workforce,” said Chad Murphy, Director of the Adult Education programs at SRC.
“We are pleased that more students are making Spoon River College their choice for higher education in West Central Illinois,” said Dr. Curt Oldfield, president of Spoon River College. “Community college education provides students with a high quality and affordable option to help them achieve their goals, and our goal is to do whatever we can to help increase student success.”
Spoon River College is a two-year, public community college in West Central Illinois, with campuses and Community Outreach Centers in Canton and Macomb, and Learning Centers in Havana and Rushville. It offers the first two years of college pre-professional courses as well as career and technical education programs. It serves students in a 1,566 square mile area that includes portions of Fulton, McDonough, Mason, Schuyler, and Knox counties. For more information about Spoon River College, visit www.src.edu.