Jefferson College of Health Sciences Continues Extraordinary Growth

John W. Dysart
President
The Dysart Group, Inc.

While many colleges and universities have experienced enrollment declines as competition for students increases and the economy sours. Dr. Carol Seavor of Jefferson College of Health Sciences in Roanoke, Virginia has overseen unprecedented growth.

I began working with Dr. Seavor toward the end of 2003. An enrollment audit was conducted to examine practices and procedures with an eye toward recommending strategies that would enable academic program expansion, net revenue increases and enrollment growth.

• A new pricing model was introduced that doubled the charge for tuition in a single cycle.
• The financial aid operation was completely overhauled with the introduction of new merit-based scholarships and grants and a different philosophy for awarding need-based financial aid.
• Academic offerings were enhanced with the start of four new baccalaureate programs and three new graduate programs including the newest concentration, Emergency Services, which sat its first class in September.
• A more targeted recruitment plan was implemented that utilized personalized communication, systematic follow-up, high quality campus visits and an emphasis on employment outcomes.

Since the implementation of the new model under the direction of Dr. Seavor, the numbers are staggering:

• Applications for admission are up by more than 173% and the College set another record for new student enrollments this Fall.
• The number of new students has soared 290% since 2003.
• The total number of full-time undergraduate students has jumped more than 65%!
• Average SAT scores and grade point averages have improved.

Even during the current economic downturn, JCHS has thrived. In this year alone, admission applications are up 6% and the number of newly enrolled students has jumped by 21%. The growth in residential students continued as the new students living in campus housing increased 27%.

Growth continues to fuel positive changes across campus. Meal plans for residential students offer more options, the? number of clubs and organizations has exploded and the College even introduced its first mascot! More revenue has also made possible significant investments in academic advising, electronic pre-registration and course selection and academic support services.

Other schools may be considering budget cuts and retrenchment, but Jefferson College of Health Sciences is moving forward in an aggressive manner to meet the growing health profession needs of the community after completing its sixth consecutive year of enrollment growth.