Jackson State University’s degree completion program at Holmes Community College in Ridgeland and expanding course offerings at JSU’s campus in Madison are drawing steady increases in enrollment.
According to Dr. Priscilla Slade, special assistant to the provost for academic and student affairs, overall in the last two years, enrollment has increased 20 percent and “we expect the same enrollment pattern” to continue.
Enrollment at Madison currently is 389 and it’s 148 at Holmes, Slade said.
Degree completion programs at both campuses, as well as expanding course offerings, are drawing students.
Holmes now has three degree completion programs: Elementary Education, K-3; Elementary Education, K-6; and Social Work.
That means, if a student obtains an associate’s degree in those areas, a bachelor degree can be earned from JSU without having to leave the Holmes Community College campus in Ridgeland.
Slade said that JSU President Dr. Carolyn W. Meyers often speaks about the importance of “place,” and “that’s what we offer” with these courses.
Jackson State entered in to the partnership with Holmes for the degree completion program in September, 2013.
In Madison, degree completion programs are also available, in computer engineering, criminal justice, electrical engineering and business administration, as well as graduate level courses in education and business.
Slade said that Jackson State met with civic organizations in Madison and asked what type of educational opportunities they would like for JSU to provide. “Any type of engineering and health care,” she said they replied.
As a result, she said, “we will be concentrating our efforts on those programs,” as well as on education courses.
JSU Madison is located off I-55 at 382 Galleria Parkway. It is designed to appeal to nontraditional students who are already working, in job transition, or caring for families.
For more on Holmes-JSU, see: https://www.jsums.edu/jsuholmes/
For more on Madison-JSU, see: https://www.jsums.edu/madison/