Another milestone for Bishop State
Another milestone for Bishop State
Wednesday, December 09, 2009 – BISHOP STATE Community College has reached another milestone in its return from a near-death experience.
The Mobile school made Community College Week newspaper's list of the 50 fastest growing two-year public colleges in the nation.
In the period from the fall of 2007 to the fall of 2008, Bishop State's enrollment increased by 13.3 percent, putting it in 27th place on a national list of schools in the 2,500-4,999 enrollment category.
One other Alabama school in that category, Northeast Alabama Community College in Rainsville, made the top 50. Northeast Alabama ranked 34th in enrollment growth.
In Mississippi, Pearl River Community College made impressive enrollment gains, ending up two spots above Bishop State.
Two years ago, Bishop State's leaders were struggling to keep the doors open in the face of a financial aid scandal and threatened loss of accreditation.
Enrollment plummeted below 3,000 in the fall of 2007 as then-interim President James Lowe and a rescue team from the two-year college system's central office labored to reha bilitate Bishop State's image and fend off disaccreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Loss of accreditation is regarded as a virtual death sentence for a college.
Dr. Lowe and his team were able to stabilize the college and get it removed from the SACS probation list.
In 2008, Dr. Lowe had the "interim" removed from his title, enabling him to pursue long-term plans for making Bishop State a hub for workforce training in southwest Alabama.
Undoubtedly, these changes helped spur the rise in enrollment in 2008. The recession also played a role, giving many Mobile area adults an economic incentive to add to their educational credentials and improve their job skills.
Bishop State has made remarkable progress, considering its dire condition a little more than two years ago. These gains were not easily achieved in a challenging environment marked by sharp cuts in state funding.
Still, Bishop State has a long way to go to reach its full potential. Mobilians should look forward to the day when the school's enrollment soars far above 5,000 students.
Contact: Herb Jordan
P: (251) 405-7135
hjordan@bishop.edu
www.bishop.edu