Page 
oilpatch, people tend to come back to us,” Five to six per cent of MHC students
Wood says. are foreign students, who come to the
College attracts
When you break down those enrolment
college from China, Korea, Japan, Central
numbers, you see 69 per cent of full-time
America, and other countries around
students at MHC are female.
the world. MHC has made a conscious
effort to attract foreign students through a
“That pretty much matches what’s going
variety of exchange programs. The college
on across Canada,” Wood says, but adds
has also seen a sharp rise in students from
it’s a different story in the college’s trades
varied students
Africa, in part because of the local refugee
and apprenticeship programs, which are
and immigrant population that has settled
96 per cent male.
in the Brooks area.
Medicine Hat College students are a little
Ten per cent of the college’s students are
older than students at other institutions.
originally from Saskatchewan, and 10 per
The average age of an MHC student is 29
cent come from other parts of Alberta.
(23 for a full-time student and 36 for part-
Fourteen per cent come from the Brooks
time). One-third of the student body are
area, but the remaining 59 per cent of
Amanda Stephenson there are over 9,300 students on campus enrolled in university transfer programs,
students come from Medicine Hat itself,
astephenson@medicinehatnews.com this year at MHC. while nursing and visual communications
Redcliff, Dunmore, and Irvine.
“I’m always blown away by the numbers,
are other popular MHC programs. The
Wood says that is part of the reason the
Medicine Hat College (MHC) is a place when you consider the size of this
college has added several new trades
college is working more and more with
where students can finish their high community,” says Craig Wood, the college’s
programs in recent years, resulting in the
universities to develop partnerships
school diploma, apprentice in a trade, Manager of Institutional Research.
doubling of trades and apprenticeship
and offer full degrees right on the MHC
or complete a university degree. With
students since 2004.
Those numbers have stayed relatively campus. The college understands, Wood
that kind of programming range, it’s no
steady for the last few years, as has post-
Another major reason students attend
says, that many students can’t or do not
wonder the college attracts a wide variety
secondary enrolment at other institutions
MHC is to finish their high school diploma
want to move away from home to attend
of students from all walks of life.
in Alberta. Wood says when the economy
or get a high school class they need to
school — and that represents opportunity
Including credit students pursuing is booming, more people tend to skip
advance to a post-secondary institution.
for MHC.
degrees, diplomas, or certificates; non- college — giving him reason to believe “Academic upgrading, as far as students
“Our primary student market is our own
credit students taking general interest that as the global recession takes hold, coming through the doors, is one of
backyard,” Wood says.
classes such as art or cooking; and students enrolment may start to climb again. the biggest programs we have,” Wood
at the Conservatory of Music and Dance,
“Typically when there’s a slowdown in the
explains.
The Suffield
Military Family
Resource
Centres
is a non-profit
organization which offers
programs, services and
resources to serve military
families. To find out more
about us go to our
web site at
www.cfbsuffieldmfrc.org
NEWS PHOTO EMMA BENNETT
or contact us at smfrc@telusplanet.net
Miranda Goodman and Samantha Gaschnitz chat after classes while walking through the halls
at the Medicine Hat College. Including credit students pursuing degrees, diplomas, or certificates;
40261583•03/24/09
or 403-544-5567.
non-credit students taking general interest classes such as art or cooking; and students at the
Conservatory of Music and Dance, there are over 9,300 students on campus this year.
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71