GPC Impact. Georgia Perimeter College Impact Report: Making a Difference in Georgia

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1 2010 GPC Impact Georgia Perimeter College Impact Report: Making a Difference in Georgia impact: [n. im-pakt] Measure of the effects of an entity's action or influence. In neighborhoods throughout metro Atlanta and Georgia, households can point to Georgia Perimeter College, not only for the success it has fostered in that family, but also for the promise of a better future for the larger community. Carolyn Jernigan Glenn Publisher, The Champion Newspaper

2 Impact on the economy and the work force Georgia Perimeter College is the third largest institution in the University System of Georgia, with an annual impact on Georgia s economy reaching more than a half billion dollars. The college generates almost 5,000 jobs, producing $227.9 million in labor income. GPC s economic presence is widespread. The college operates four campuses and one center and has 348,257 alumni living in all 50 U.S. states and beyond. GPC is an invaluable asset to Newton County. The measurable benefit can be seen in how helpful they are when we are recruiting new industry to our county. Members of the administration and faculty sit on our Chamber board and serve on committees. Hunter Hall, President, Newton County Chamber of Commerce Developing tomorrow s work force Georgia Perimeter College provides students with the education and critical thinking skills demanded in a competitive job market. The college offers 40 degree programs and three certificate programs, fulfilling the needs of students who want to pursue higher education degrees or enter the work force. More than 80 percent of Georgia Perimeter College s former students continue to live in Georgia. Their successes become Georgia s successes. Building partnerships and premier programs Georgia Perimeter partners with Georgia State University to offer the first two years of study for bachelor s degrees in Early Childhood Education and Business Administration. In July 2009, GPC established the Georgia Perimeter College Center for Organizational Development to address work force needs through customized education programs. The center has served more than 300 businesses and organizations and collaborated with DeKalb Workforce Development. GPC is home to a premier Sign Language Interpreting Program Georgia s only program accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education and the second program in the country to receive the designation. In , the program received the prestigious Sorenson Award of Excellence, a national honor. Answering the demand The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment of dental hygienists is expected to grow 36 percent through 2018, faster than the average for all occupations. GPC s Dental Hygiene program is the largest associate degree Dental Hygiene program in Georgia. For three years, its students have earned a 100 percent pass rate on the first attempt on the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination. Best Jobs with a Two-Year Degree Computer Specialists Dental Hygienists Registered Nurses Radiologic Technologists & Technicians $50,260 The demand for registered nurses is projected to grow 22 percent by GPC Department of Nursing graduates an average of 154 students annually. Graduates regularly pass the state licensure exam at the 99th percentile. The Nursing program partners with more than 17 local hospitals and settings where students complete clinical rotations. GPC prepares students for degrees, certificates or transfer in many other Health Sciences programs. In 2009, Georgia Perimeter partnered with DeKalb Medical School of Radiologic Technology to provide an Associate of Science in Radiologic Technology program. Practicing good stewardship $64,740 $60,010 $71,510 * Four out of 10 jobs listed by Careerbuilder October Based on salary, industry employment and projected job growth. GPC s high quality education is a great value for taxpayers and government programs. GPC receives only 47.4 percent of its operating budget from state appropriations; it costs Georgia s HOPE scholarship program an average of 62 percent less than research universities; and it serves more students per square foot than most institutions.

3 Impact on students In 2009 and 2010, Georgia Perimeter was among the top 100 producers of associate degrees nationwide, according to a Community College Week report on all two-year colleges in the United States. GPC was the only Georgia institution to make that list. Access to education Georgia Perimeter was the top college choice for high school graduates in DeKalb, Gwinnett and Rockdale counties and the second most popular in-state choice of all Georgia graduates, according to a report released in GPC operates the largest online education program in Georgia s university system, serving more than 8,000 students. GPC s enrollment tops 25,000. In fall 2009, the college enrolled 14,855 freshmen more than the University of Georgia, Georgia State University and Georgia Tech, combined. Georgia Perimeter students bring a world of experience to GPC campuses. In fall 2009, GPC was home to 1,329 international students, coming from 157 countries, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. More than 5,000 of GPC s students more than 22 percent are the first in their family to go to college. More than 70 percent of GPC students receive financial aid. As an access institution, GPC opens the door to higher education, providing learning support to 23 percent of its students. Transfers and TAGS GPC transfers almost 3,000 students to bachelor s degree programs within the University System of Georgia, annually accounting for more than one-fifth of all transfers within the USG. A recent USG study on transfer students indicated that GPC transfer students maintained a B average at the end of their next year at a senior institution. Georgia Perimeter College received the largest number of transfer students (3,901) of any institution in the University System of Georgia. To allow students seamless transfers to four-year institutions of their choice, Georgia Perimeter has pioneered a Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program, signing almost 40 TAG agreements to date with in-state, out-of-state, public and private four-year institutions. Award-winning faculty More than a third of Georgia Perimeter College s faculty members have earned their doctorate. GPC s small classes (average 23 in fall 2009) allow faculty to interact personally with students. The cultural diversity of students, the recognized reputation, the friendly hospitality of the faculty and staff members and the commitment to improving academic success are the values that aided me. This college is a tremendous stepping stone into a great future. Ola Opanuga, GPC graduate 2010 The efforts of Georgia Perimeter s faculty are recognized statewide and nationally. GPC has had more Governors Teaching Fellows than any other institution in Georgia: 37 since Forty-six GPC faculty members have received National Institute for Organizational Development Teaching Excellence Awards since GPC faculty members have been named ACE Fellows twice since Two GPC faculty members were recognized in 2009 by the National Academic Advising Association as top academic advising professionals in the nation. Georgia Perimeter is one of only four two-year colleges nationwide to have had six winners of the prestigious national Jack Kent Cooke scholarship. One GPC recipient went on to win the prominent Truman Scholarship at Howard University in 2009.

4 Customer service In 2009, the University System of Georgia named Georgia Perimeter the Number 1 institution in the state in serving its students. GPC established a new customer-focused Contact Center in February 2010 to improve the college s response to student inquiries. In its first four months, the center answered more than 71,000 calls and received an average customer satisfaction rate of more than 98 percent. Student Life Students at Georgia Perimeter can assume leadership roles early in their college careers. GPC offers more than 90 recognized student clubs and organizations, through which students can develop planning, leadership and decisionmaking skills. The Office of Student Life is a valuable resource for GPC students. We provide leadership development, community engagement and productive social opportunities that will give students an advantage in life. Angela Avery-Jones, director of Student Life, GPC Clarkston Campus International Education Recognizing that today s students need to thrive in an increasingly global society, GPC offers opportunities such as Study Abroad, immigrant services and English as a Second Language classes. Honors Program The Honors Program at Georgia Perimeter College is the largest honors program at any two-year institution in Georgia and one of the largest in the state. During , the Honors Program offered 80 independent Honors sections of courses, with an enrollment of almost 1,300. Dual Enrollment Georgia Perimeter has the state s largest Dual Enrollment program, which allows 769 high school students to simultaneously earn high school and college credit. GPC educates more than one-fourth of all the Dual Enrollment students in the university system, and under a new statewide program called Move On When Ready, more high school students are expected to complete their first two years of college and their high school requirements at the same time. Athletics GPC fields eight intercollegiate athletic teams. Competing in the National Junior College Association, student athletes at Georgia Perimeter College have established a long tradition of success, including national and regional championships. Special academic initiatives Georgia Perimeter supports students through a variety of special programs, including: DeKalb Early College Academy, which brings high school students to GPC for college and high school credit. In DECA s first graduating class, in 2010, 46 students received high school diplomas, and 10 of those also earned associate degrees. Gateway to College Academy, a high school dropout recovery program through which students can earn college credits as they finish high school work. Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, a bridge program for recent high school graduates interested in the fields of science, technology, engineering or math. The Leadership Academy, a scholarship and mentoring program aimed at increasing the success of African- American males in higher education. The GPC program has boasted a retention rate of almost 79 percent compared to a national average of 50 percent for African- American males. The Leadership Academy is what made me a successful college student, as it built a superior work ethic in me through the leadership and facilities they provided. If it wasn t for the Leadership Academy, things might have turned out very differently. Jonathan Harewood, GPC 2010

5 Impact On Feb. 15, 2010, Georgia Perimeter College opened the Atlanta Center for Civic Engagement & Service-Learning, an innovative initiative that national experts say is breaking new ground. Former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter helped mark the official opening of the center, which will enhance student learning and address community needs. A cultural hub Georgia Perimeter College s Fine Arts program presents plays, art exhibits and musical performances that are open to the public. The season included more than 100 events. Since its inception, the DeKalb Symphony Orchestra has been given a home at Georgia Perimeter College s Clarkston Campus. GPC campuses are hosts to local festivals, such as the Atlanta Asian Film Festival, a non-profit event dedicated to educating the community about the diversity of Asian-Pacific culture. Interested in viewing Mars, Saturn, Orion Nebula or Double Cluster in Perseus? Georgia Perimeter College makes its Observatory and Planetarium available for public use at no charge. The Georgia Perimeter College Botanical Garden includes a Native Plant Garden and the Ferns of the World Garden, which contains more species of ferns than any other garden in the nation. Discussions about plants, garden walks and special sales are open to the public. A public resource on the community Georgia Perimeter facilities are the sites of professional development conferences, symposia and town hall meetings. In 2009, the Georgia Legislature recognized GPC as one of only two community colleges in the nation with a Writers Institute. The institute works with partners to bring literary events to the college and community, and it awards fellowships and writing grants, which lead to published works. A good neighbor GPC students, faculty and staff participate in projects that benefit the community, including: In Clarkston, GPC students tutor elderly refugees from Bhutan, Myanmar, Somalia, Ethiopia and other parts of the world, helping them toward their goal of citizenship by teaching them English skills as part of Project SHINE. In local public schools, more than 200 Georgia Perimeter students have tutored more than 500 teens and children as part of a Connect to Success program. Georgia Perimeter College s Dental Hygiene program operates a Dental Hygiene Clinic on Dunwoody Campus that provides low-cost dental hygiene care and education to the public. Twice a year through Seal Georgia Day events, GPC students provide free dental sealants to elementary school students who have little or no access to dental care. Georgia Perimeter s Sign Language Interpreting students performed 6,000 hours of community service interpreting in GPC sponsors an annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration, bringing in noted speakers and entertainment. In 2010, 715 GPC students, faculty, staff, family and friends volunteered their services for a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. GPC s Nursing program provides health screening fairs, and GPC s health outreach mobile unit extends services into the community. GPC equips students for a competitive work force and prepares them for high-demand fields. We open the door to four-year institutions, as well as to second careers. We enhance our communities, drive economic development, transform lives and build a stronger Georgia. Dr. Anthony S. Tricoli Georgia Perimeter College President

6 Georgia Perimeter College Is Changing More Lives Than Ever Student population tops 25,000 9,026 9,346 Source: GPC Office of Institutional Research and Planning Campus totals will not add up to college enrollment because college enrollment is unduplicated. Students may attend more than one campus but are only counted once in college enrollment. 8,148 6,853 7,805 7,614 Spring 2010 enrollment Spring 2009 enrollment Spring 2008 enrollment 4,000 5,143 6,525 5,897 3,928 3,184 2,856 2,560 1,922 1, Alpharetta Newton Decatur Online/ Distance Clarkston Dunwoody For additional information about Georgia Perimeter College, visit Alpharetta Center 3705 Brookside Parkway Alpharetta, GA Clarkston Campus 555 N. Indian Creek Drive Clarkston, GA Decatur Campus 3251 Panthersville Road Decatur, GA Dunwoody Campus 2101 Womack Road Dunwoody, GA Newton Campus 239 Cedar Lane Covington, GA GPC Online The University System of Georgia/AA/EOE