Georgia Gwinnett College has bucked enrollment trends for the fall semester with new student enrollment up 14 percent from fall 2021 and up 15 percent from fall 2020. The college’s total enrollment—new, returning and transfer students—is trending up a percentage point from last fall.
Michael Poll, GGC’s vice president of Enrollment Management Services, says that the college is working to reverse the enrollment declines caused by the global pandemic.
“As pandemic restrictions have lifted, we have been able to meet with prospective students both on campus and in the high schools,” he says. “Both our admissions and financial aid offices have been most active hosting students on campus through tours, workshops, free testing and individual appointments.”
Poll adds that GGC’s outreach to high school campuses has been crucial in the college’s recruitment efforts. Unique programs such as instant decision days, as well as services such as transcript pick up, counseling appointments and college workshops have been well received by high school seniors.
“Offering extra assistance and guidance is particularly meaningful to students as they navigate the college enrollment process,” says Poll.
Although student enrollment numbers in the initial few weeks of the semester are typically fluid and subject to change, Poll feels all signs point to a robust fall enrollment. These numbers will be verified later this fall by the University System of Georgia. Other notable gains include:
- New international students more than doubled over last year with an increase in students from South Korea, Vietnam and India.
- New transfer student enrollment increased 33 percent over last fall.
- Registered Hispanic students now stand at 27 percent, up a percentage point from last year.
With increases in enrollment come increases in students seeking the “full campus experience.” Toward that end, students living in campus housing increased 16 percent from last year.
“It appears we have turned the corner and are heading back to enrollment growth,” says Poll. “I expect this trend to continue for GGC.”
Gwinnett Elections Board seeking poll workers
Gwinnett County’s Elections Board looks to hire nearly 2,500 elections workers to help at the polls. Several hiring events are scheduled in September to fill needed positions.
Depending on the position, a poll worker can make up to a $390 stipend.
Those who qualify and are interested in applying online may do so at GwinnettCountyJobs.com. Those who would like to apply in-person may do so during several hiring events scheduled next month.
Gwinnett’s Elections Department will hold several hiring events on the following dates:
- Sept. 6 from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Five Forks Branch Library, 2780 Five Forks Trickum Road in Lawrenceville;
- Sept. 8 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Centerville Branch Library, 3025 Bethany Church Road in Snellville;
- Sept. 13 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Duluth Branch Library, 3180 Main Street in Duluth;
- Sept. 19 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Dacula Branch Library, 265 Dacula Road in Dacula; and
- Sept. 24 from noon until 4 p.m. at the Norcross Branch Library, 5735 Buford Highway in Norcross.
Sugar Hill gets grant for digitizing historical records
The Georgia Historical Records Advisory Council (GHRAC) seeks to enrich the culture and protect the rights of Georgians by fostering activities that identify, preserve, and provide access to the state’s documentary heritage.
Using funds awarded to the University of Georgia Libraries and the Georgia Archives by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission GHRAC has awarded grants totaling $35,000 to the following entities to develop and/or implement projects to identify, preserve, and provide access to historical records:
- Middle Georgia State University Library
- Okefenokee Heritage Center
- Charles D. Switzer Library
- Upson Historical Society
- Sugar Hill HPS
- Atlanta History Center
- Alexander Campbell King Law Library
- Booker T. Washington High School
- Chipley Historical Center
One award is to the City of Sugar Hill and Sugar Hill Historic Preservation Society. The amount is up to $4,765 to digitize city council records from 1992-1995.
Kathryn Baskin, chair of the Sugar Hill Historic Preservation Society, says “We are ecstatic to receive these funds so the Sugar Hill City Council minutes will be preserved. The earlier years, beginning with 1939, are already in the works at the Digital Library of Georgia. They will also be working with us on the years covered by the GHRAC grant.”
PCOM physician assistants, therapists gain their white coats
PA students celebrate getting their white coats.
The song “Heal the World” by Michael Jackson, sung by Alison Ritter (PA ’24), a student in the Physician Assistant Studies program at PCOM Georgia in Suwanee, marked the beginning of the Physician Assistant White Coat Ceremony August 19 at the Gas South District in Duluth.
Thirty-two first-year PA students, members of the Class of 2024, received their white coats, which PCOM Georgia PA-Site Director Rebekah Thomas, says symbolize professionalism, integrity and the highest commitment to caring for the sick. She adds: “It conveys respect and is a visual reminder of the trust we must earn from our patients.”
Later in the afternoon, 38 second-year doctor of physical therapy students, also members of the class of 2024, received their white coats as a symbol of “your transformative journey in becoming a healthcare professional,” Ruth Maher, chair of the physical therapy program, says. “Your white coat is an everlasting symbol of the physical therapy profession’s purity of purpose – placing the interests of patients first and above self-interest. It’s a symbol of your integrity, trust and compassion in addressing the rights and needs of your patients.”
The two ceremonies, attended by family members, friends and faculty members, were a time of celebration and transitions for these future healthcare professionals.
A 2014 graduate of the PA program at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Tsitsi Masviba addressed the physician assistant students. After working at the Georgetown University department of neurosurgery for eight years, she recently moved to Georgia and works as part of the neurosurgery and neurointerventional team in the Northeast Georgia Health System’s physician group.
She says: “You are officially becoming a part of a community that meets people at some of the lowest points in their life, but you are now being trained and will have the privilege, trust and honor to heal in your community.”
Remi Onifade provided remarks for the Doctor of Physical Therapy White Coat Ceremony. She serves as the clinic director at Team Rehabilitation Physical Therapy, is an adjunct professor at Morehouse College, and co-founded the National Association of Black Physical Therapists. In addition, she serves as the American Physical Therapy Association, Georgia chapter, vice president and the chair of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee.
Dr. Onifade urged the physical therapy scholars to “embrace change that is needed to improve diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in our society.”
Gwinnett’s budget review team already working for 2023
Gwinnett County department directors and elected officials – from the Sheriff’s Office to the Clerk of Courts – began presenting their 2023 business plans to a Citizens Review Team on August 29.
Veteran team members Hilda Abbott, David Cuffie, Michelle Kang and Asif Jessani will again lend their expertise. New to the review team this year is Buzz Brockway, vice president of public policy at the Georgia Center for Opportunity and former member of the Georgia House of Representatives.
- Abbott is the founder of RudHil Companies, co-chair of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Hispanic Business Center and member of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
- Cuffie is CEO of Total Vision Consulting LLC and director of church ministries for Berean Christian Church Gwinnett.
- Kang is with the Korean American Public Action Committee of Atlanta
- Jessani is a principal marketing and technology consultant with CCS.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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