Minority enrollment figures increase at NWACC
Posted on Tuesday, October 14, 2008
BENTONVILLE — The rates of minority students increased in the past year, according to a new report released by Northwest Arkansas Community College.
John Tuthill, associate vice president for Student Learning at NWACC, released results of the college’s annual minority recruitment and retention report to the NWACC Board of Trustees at its meeting Monday.
The report revealed that the number of minority students increased by 25. 5 percent from spring 2007 until spring 2008.
Of all ethnic groups, including Asian / Pacific Islander, African-American, Hispanic, Native American and Caucasian, the highest increase in students was among Hispanics. By spring 2008, 650 Hispanic students were enrolled at NWACC, a 27. 5 percent increase from the 510 students enrolled in spring 2007.
Total minority enrollment is now at 17. 50 percent of the college’s student population, according to the report.
In addition to enrollment figures, the report also noted retention rates for all ethnic groups.
“ Consistently, … our highest rate of retention is Hispanic students, ” Tuthill said. From fall 2006 to fall 2007, 51 percent of Hispanic students returned to NWACC.
The lowest group for retention is African-Americans. Between fall 2006 and fall 2007, only 25 percent of African-American students returned to the college.
Tuthill noted that of the broad Asian / Pacific Islander population at the college, no students are Marshallese. Tuthill said that of all 2008 Marshallese high-school graduates in Benton and Washington counties, none enrolled at any two- or four-year college institution.
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