By Ashley Escobar
Editor-in-Chief
As Amarillo College experiences steady growth in student engagement and credit hours, its focus on these areas, along with outreach efforts, positions the college for continued growth within the community.
Bob Austin, vice president of enrollment management said that as of the past few weeks, the enrollment numbers were at 8,240 students with the overall credit hours totaling 72,397.
In comparison to this time around last year, the headcount is down 31 students, but numbers show the credit hours are up by 1.5%. “Credit hours are the way you pay for tuition and fees,” Austin said. “So, that is a source of revenue for the college and so we are more interested in the credit hour production than we are in the headcount.”
According to Austin, Amarillo College actively works to attract new students through a variety of outreach efforts. The Communications and Marketing Department promotes through digital and traditional billboards, while outreach teams visit local high schools to connect with prospective students.
Events such as Trade Day, Tascosa High School Day, Randall High School visits, Amarillo High School dual credit visits, fifth-grade tours, the Community Connection Resource Fair and Blue Blazers help introduce students to the opportunities available at Amarillo College.
“What you need to know is that enrollment at the college has been increasing over the last five years,” Austin said. “You see that we’re ahead of the five-year average, little by little.”
The increase in enrollment at AC shows more people in Amarillo taking advantage of educational opportunities. Austin suggests that more individuals are pursuing education beyond high school, whether by transferring for a bachelor’s degree or preparing for a career.
“The more people who have a college degree or certificate, it’s better for the entire community,” Austin said. “Because if we have a well-educated community, then we have people who have better jobs and people who are paying taxes and people who have improved their lives and the lives of their children and all that other stuff.”
In terms of the classroom, Robert Leuthen, an automotive technology instructor, described his class sizes as “pretty normal, maybe just a little bit lighter” this year. However, Austin said he has noticed an improvement in student engagement compared to previous years, especially with those influenced
by Covid-19.
“There are students who went through that and basically can’t function without their phones, or can’t read or write or stay engaged, but this year as far as engagement, they seem to be doing pretty good to me.”
Piper Johansen, assistant professor of biological sciences has noticed a shift in student demographics throughout her time in teaching. “I wouldn’t more so put it on specific ethnicities, but I have seen a lot more diversity in terms of LGBT students who are feeling more comfortable at the AC campus,” she said. “There is much more openness, I think.”
Nearly half of all students at Amarillo College identify as nursing majors, with business administration being the second most popular field of study. Austin notes that enrollment isn’t just about increasing numbers but ensuring the college is structured to support student success. In programs like nursing, he mentions, enrollment is carefully balanced with graduation rates to align with local workforce needs.
“So even though you hear there’s a nationwide nursing shortage, there’s not a nursing shortage in Amarillo,” Austin said. “We don’t want to create a situation where we’d be making a false promise and say we’re going triple the size of the nursing program. Well, then you go through the program and you graduate, and then it’s like well, where are you supposed to get a job? All of the nursing positions are filled and not only that but the supply of nurses outpaces the demand, so the hospitals don’t have to pay as much.”
Leuthen said that while the education process itself hasn’t changed much on the education he provides, students may face new challenges when entering the workforce. “In the years past, when students used to get out, there was such a shortage of technicians that you could be a bad technician and they would hire you,” Leuthen said. “That’s tapered off now a little bit. They are a little more selective, they want the better ones.”
Despite these notable shifts in enrollment, challenges remain. Johansen noted that students today face increasing financial burdens, especially as the cost of living rises. “A lot of it’s so hard compared to even when I was in college,” Johansen said. “As some of the potential funding is being removed by different administrations, it makes it even more unobtainable for students to be able to afford college or even consider it as an option.”
Financial factors and support services play a major role in choosing Amarillo College, especially for Tannon Bianco, a business administration major. To him, the THRIVE Scholarship, which is offered to students graduating from an AISD high school, made his decision to attend AC an easy one. “It seemed like a no-brainer,” he said, adding that the scholarship provides significant benefits to students.
Similarly, biology major Ariana Ramos said affordability and convenience were deciding factors when choosing AC. “I chose Amarillo College because of convenience in all honesty,” she said. “The commute was close, it was a cheaper option compared to other colleges, and I had family who had graduated from AC then went on to pursue WT afterward.”
Beyond finances, Johansen said students are also seeking deeper connections in the classroom and on campus, saying she has observed this firsthand.
“A lot of students are really looking for connection and community—whether they’re finding that in the classroom, which hopefully they’re finding it in mine, but also just in times where our world seems very divided,” Johansen said.
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