ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – Bay College‘s Escanaba and Iron Mountain campuses are preparing for students to return for a new semester next week.
In the fall semester, Bay College enjoyed its highest enrollment in a decade.
“Our enrollment was the best we’ve had since 2014,” said Director of Admissions Jessica Beaver. “We finally broke the mark of getting over 2,000 students, so it was really exciting.”
The college is aiming for similar numbers in the winter semester, which begins on Monday, January 13.
“Usually, enrollment tends to dip down a little bit in the winter, but we’ll see what happens,” Beaver said. “We’re hoping with a few state initiatives that it will help with that.”
Those initiatives include the Michigan Reconnect program and the State’s Community College Guarantee, which can remove or reduce educational barriers like cost.
“That’s what these programs do,” said Beaver. “You can get your tuition paid for, some of the programs even cover your books and your fees. It’s giving that opportunity for students who may not have the funds to go to college.”
On Monday, both campuses hosted “Ready. Set. Enroll!” The event helps new, returning, and even potential students get everything they need in order for the semester all in one day.
“No matter where you’re at in your college journey, in the enrollment process, in your decision to go to college or not,” said Beaver. “We’re here to help you get your student ID. Maybe you haven’t applied yet, maybe you still have questions about FAFSA, or maybe you’re not sure about your high school transcripts. We just hope this is that little extra nudge that people might need to get started or to finish what they started.”
Once students are enrolled, Bay College offers other resources and amenities—like tutoring services, small class sizes, and a campus health clinic—to help students succeed from their first day on campus to their last.
“We really are a great bridge for a lot of people,” Beaver said. “We see people’s confidence grow when they come here. There are less distractions and a lot of support. Especially with everything that we do here at Bay and how much support you have here, I think you’ll really surprise yourself at how well you’ll do and how much you’ll enjoy the college experience.”
New student orientation will be held at the Iron Mountain campus on Wednesday, January 8, and at the Escanaba campus on Friday, January 10. Registration for winter semester courses has been open since October, but anyone still interested in registering can visit baycollege.edu/apply for more information.
