Posted at: 03/04/2010 7:00 PM
By: Dan Conradt

MNSCU Enrollment Up

(ABC 6 NEWS) -- Enrollment has reached an all-time high at the 32 schools that make up the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. And while the entire system has seen a surge, some of the schools have raised the bar even higher.

The college of the future might be here right now. The biggest tuition increases in the MN-SCU system came at two-year schools, like Riverland Community College.

"When the unemployment rates go up, our student population grows. Come in, take a class for a semester, maybe take a one year program, two year program and get back out into the workforce," says Peggy Young of Riverland Community College.

And they're learning skills that didn't exist a generation ago.

"We have the wind and solar program. We have an incredible multi-million dollar simulation center just down the hall," says Kari Busch of Riverland Community College.

And at a time when government dollars are shrinking, schools like Riverland are keeping themselves financially healthy by changing with the times.

Busch says, "With increased enrollment obviously there is increased tuition revenue."

"We tend to be more low cost than some of the four-year institutions," says Young.

And it's not just the skills that are changing.

Young says, "Our on-line class population is growing in leaps and bounds."

Busch adds, "There is an increase in part-time enrollment because they simply have to work and have time for other commitments in their life."

Because the college student of the 21st century ranges from traditional, to not so traditional.

"The average age in most of my classes is 40," says student Angie Burt.

Student Miriam Medina adds, "They're really flexible with your schedule."

And if it wasn't for that flexibility, students like business major Angie Burt might not even be in college.

"I go to school full time, I work full time and I'm a mommy full time," says Burt.

Miriam medina is non-traditional in a different way, thanks to a program that lets her take college classes while still in high school.

Medina says, "I'm able to graduate with my associates degree a week earlier than I'll be getting my high school diploma."

"I would really say no, there's not something called non-traditional any more because everybody's non-traditional," says Burt.

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System says enrollment is up by over 14-thousand students, or 8 percent, compared to a year ago.