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education...
College growing and evolving
Amanda Stephenson “Roughly, we’ve doubled our enrolment in campus, and the first class of students in that
astephenson@medicinehatnews.com
the trades from about 400 students to 740 program is now in its fourth year. Weeks says
students, so that’s been a huge growth over university completion is one of the biggest
Like the students it serves, Medicine Hat
the last four years,” says MHC president areas of growth for the college, alongside the
College is constantly growing and evolving
Ralph Weeks. “Of course, with these new trades and international education. Growth
— and that’s not about to change in 2009, in
students we need to accommodate them, and is also expected to continue in health-care
spite of the global economic downturn.
that’s what that expansion is all about.” programs, particularly nursing.
In fact, MHC currently has more than
A $13-15 million expansion to the college’s The college continues to adapt to its changing
$30 million worth of capital projects on
business wing — which will see that faculty student body and their changing needs. The
the books. That includes the $8.4 million
moved out of the current trades wing to the average age of MHC students is increasing,
EnCana power engineering lab — which is in
current F Wing, behind the cafeteria — is and many of those students are choosing
the construction phase right now and will be
also in the works. The project coincides with to study part-time rather than full-time.
home to the 30 students each year enrolled
the college’s goal to acquire a new business Weeks says it can make for some misleading
in the power engineering program — as
degree program — MHC is currently in numbers.
well as a planned $5.4 million expansion to
discussions with the University of Lethbridge
“Our full-time equivalent numbers are
the college’s trades wing, which is necessary
to see if that institution’s business degree can
not going up, but the number of bodies on
because of the rapid increase in enrolment in
be offered on campus in Medicine Hat.
campus are,” he says. “So our service demand
apprenticeship programs at the college.
Last summer’s redesign of the college’s front in terms of foot traffic, parking, etc. goes up
driveway — along with a significantly when our numbers of part-time
series of theatre renovations students goes up.”
planned for this summer that
There could be an even greater pressure on
will include replacing the
college services and infrastructure in the
seating, carpets, lighting and
near future. Weeks says it is a recognized
sound system — round out
phenomenon that post-secondary attendance
the rest of the construction
increases when economic times are bad
activity on campus.
— and already this year, enrolment as of the
If MHC is successful in deadline to register for the winter semester
obtaining a business degree was up five per cent from what it was on the
program, it will further same day in 2008.
change the face of a campus
Weeks says the college is preparing for
that already has more third-
spikes in demand for certain programs, like
and fourth-year university
academic upgrading.
students than ever before. A
partnership with the University
“If there aren’t jobs out there, and you can’t
of Alberta means MHC can
drive a water truck for $80,000 a year, you’re
offer a full Education degree on
going to come back to school,” he says.
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