EAST PEORIA, Ill. – Illinois Central College has seen enrollment rise for the sixth semester in a row.
According to a release, as of August 20, students have registered for 2,013 more credit hours than a year ago, a 3-percent increase. The college also enrolled 8,232 students for the fall semester, an increase from last fall of 2.5-percent.
ICC says enrollment for students of color increased 3.4-percent, while enrollment of adult students rose 10.8-percent. Enrollment also grew in career and technical education programs as well as ICC’s certificate programs.
The college credits the enrollment growth to meeting student and community needs. Flexible learning options, including online, hybrid, and 8-week courses, benefitting working adults in particular.
ICC leaders say shorter courses and students’ confidence in managing a higher credit load when classes are structured this way, contributed to the increase in enrollment, and are expected to continue driving growth as ICC converts to a largely 8-week schedule in the fall of 2026.
“At Illinois Central College, every initiative centers on student success-whether a student’s goal is to transfer to a university or earn a credential providing an in-demand technical skill,” ICC President Dr. Sheila Quirk-Bailey says. “Our sixth consecutive semester of growth in enrollment affirms the value of our efforts to remove barriers and create clear pathways to engagement, completion, transfer, and career opportunities. It reflects the real, lasting impact ICC has on our students and our community.”
Changes driving the increases include:
- Placement reforms and new assessment tools have reduced the number of students in developmental courses by 66-percent.
- Strengthened advising and streamlined services have improved the enrollment process.
- New programs in Information Technology and Electric Vehicle Technology have drawn students seeking high-demand skills.
This summer, ICC also enrolled 835 students in corporate and community education courses and 51 in workforce programs
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