Clinton College Sees Unprecedented Growth and Expansion
Located in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Clinton College, an esteemed Historically Black College and University (HBCU), is experiencing a significant increase in student enrolment. The Fall 2024 semester has seen a 27% uptick compared to the previous year with 240 students choosing Clinton College as their tertiary institution of choice. Last year, the college welcomed 188 students.
Student Enrolment Predictions and College’s Expansions
Clinton College’s growth has not been without its challenges. As a result of the influx of new students, the college has run out of dormitory rooms causing some students to seek off-campus housing alternatives.
The college’s President, Dr. Lester McCorn, plans to spearhead a financial campaign to raise $15 million to support Clinton College’s continued expansion. He believes that with an estimated $50 million investment, the college has the potential to serve a thousand students, still maintaining the intimate campus environment that Clinton College is known for.
New Major Attractions: Nursing and Cybersecurity
Beyond the amiable ambiance, students have also been attracted by the introduction of new majors: Nursing and Cybersecurity.
Assurances of more personalized attention and smaller class sizes have been additional persuasive factors for students. One freshman, Marken Tigner, had this to say, “The class sizes are small. It’s easier to learn. I can ask questions when I need it, and I can get help when I need it.”
Clinton College was awarded nearly $500,000 by the United States Department of Agriculture to extend educational opportunities to a dozen counties in rural South Carolina. This funding was utilized to jump-start the Cybersecurity major for which a room in the library was transformed into a computer lab.
Freshman student Nathan Brantley expresses excitement about the potential of the cybersecurity program: “I want to go into ethical hacking. I think the professional field is called penetration testing, basically infiltrating systems and trying to find flaws in the data.”
Future of Clinton College’s Growth and Development
The students have high hope for the programs and the College. Jasamine Woodard, a nursing student, believes that as more people become aware of what is being offered at Clinton, the enrollment figures will continue to incline.
Dr. Lester McCorn envisions a larger Clinton College that includes new dorms, an athletic center, and Greek life, while still maintaining its small and intimate campus. The college plans to dominate the digital frontier through online education, offering flexibility and a cutting-edge educational experience to its students.
In the near future, Clinton College will open its new bookstore in September, indicative of the ongoing developments happening on campus.
