North Arkansas College Enjoys Growth, may Need More Housing

Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 2:34 PM

North Arkansas College has hit the highest enrollment mark in a decade, according to Rick Massengale, the president of the college.

Massengale appeared on KHOZ's "Around The Table" on Thursday to talk about the school. The school had 1,927 students enrolled for classes. He said the hope is that this is a sign of a positive trend for the college. The college opened in 1974, and since then, the school has experienced growth.

With this growth comes a problem; the school's housing seems like it can't meet demand. Massengale said a survey to confirm whether or not there's actually a need for more housing is being considered.

He said housing is a "major investment." Aside from that, Massengale invited people to check out the campus

The school president encouraged people to go see the campus if they haven't seen it recently. He added that it looks different.

He commented on the impact of community colleges and highlighted the school's goal. "Our job is not to create student debt. Our job is to get people in, put them to work," Massengale said. He later added that some four-year schools are delivering degrees on their campus now.

That is yet another way the school has grown. More information is online. More was discussed on the broadcast; the full interview with Massengale is on the "Around The Table" Facebook Page.