The fall semester at Ozarka began will a great deal of enthusiasm from students, faculty and staff. Although total enrollment dropped slightly, it is a positive sign that many students who came back to college during the economic downturn have now completed their studies and many are going back to work.
This is also reflected in higher graduation numbers. Nursing, Culinary Arts and the new Criminal Justice and Corrections programs are thriving and there are plans in-work to continue to grow in these areas. Distance Learning continues to be a growth area for the College as many students appreciate the convenience of setting their own hours for coursework.
Ozarka College was able to once again hold the line on tuition. It was the only public institution in the state, of both four and two-year colleges, which did not increase tuition for the second consecutive year. Students will continue to receive a high quality, affordable education at Ozarka College thanks to the conservative financial oversight of the Board of Trustees.
“We are off to another great start to the new academic year at Ozarka College,” said Ozarka College President Dr. Richard Dawe. “We are about to begin a construction project that will transform the main campus during the next year and provide a much more welcoming and efficient student center for our students on the main campus. The College is also developing several exciting degree programs that will bring many addition new career opportunities to the region. We are very grateful for the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of our Board of Trustees and our dedicated faculty.”
The College recently held a ribbon-cutting at its Mountain View campus for an amphitheatre. The new facility seats 150 and will be used by both the College and the community for lectures, concerts and other meetings.
A completed Facilities Master Plan at the main campus in Melbourne recently resulted in plans moving forward to construct a new Student Services Center in the heart of the main campus. The College should break ground on the facility in spring of 2013 and completion is expected for spring 2014. A Facilities Master Plan for the Ash Flat campus will also be developed this fall.
Ozarka College offers day, evening, weekend, and online classes, degrees and certificates to students at each of its four campuses in Fulton, Izard, Sharp and Stone Counties. For more information about degree programs offered by Ozarka College, or to enroll in classes, visit www.ozarka.edu or call toll free at 800-821-4335.
