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EDITORIAL

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President Farmer Op-Ed

Fastest growing college in North Texas

March 10, 2025

Students walking through the quad on their way to classWhat do Hardin-Simmons University, Mary Hardin-Baylor University, Texas Wesleyan University, and Dallas Baptist University all have in common…they all have smaller student populations than Weatherford College. Weatherford College is now the fastest growing college in North Texas. WC’s student enrollment grew by 23.5% last fall, and by 16% this spring.

Articles are being published across the nation about the college enrollment cliff. A staggering 74 colleges have closed or merged since 2020. The Great Recession of 2008 resulted in a 4% decline in birth rates, or about 400,000 fewer births in the United States. As this smaller cohort of students worked their way through the educational system, there are simply fewer total students attending college. Many institutions are cutting programs and jobs in an effort to avoid campus closures. The budget crises resulting from declining enrollments are causing unprecedented challenges in higher education.

If higher education institutions across the country are facing such challenges, why then has Weatherford College emerged as the fasting growing college in North Texas? Our region is growing at a faster rate than most areas of the country, yet area comparable institution enrollment growth does not compare to what has happened at WC.

Perhaps it is the massive expansion of our academic programing that has spurred record growth? Our five bachelor’s degree programs offer students the ability to earn their degree at community college prices. Our associate programs in fields like cardiovascular sonography, cybersecurity, and robotics have certainly experienced rapid enrollment growth. The growth of our workforce certificate programs has provided students with the opportunity to quickly earn a credential and acquire a good paying job. Collectively, these academic opportunities have prompted enrollment growth, but most certainly additional factors are at play.

The success of our athletic and arts programs have also drawn many students to Weatherford College. Winning championships in multiple sports attracts student athletes who want to be part of a winning team. The prestige of arts programs like the Weatherford College International Piano Competition raises our institutional profile and attracts students from across the globe. Students from 33 international countries now attend Weatherford College.

Our beautiful new facilities and attractive curb appeal also attract students to attend college at WC. Vickie and Jerry Durant Hall, our Emerging Technologies and Workforce Building, and artificial turf ball fields collectively make very strong impressions on perspective students and their families. The newly planted trees and well-kept grounds all play a role in enhancing the beauty of our college and make it more desirable.

While all of these factors positively impact enrollment growth, I believe that it is ultimately our people who make the magic happen. Our faculty and staff, our students, and our educational stakeholders are second to none. The WC culture of caring has taken root and produces daily manifestations of the core values of faith, hope, and love. Weatherford College has many wonderful things going, but nothing is more important than for our students to know that we genuinely care for them.

As we continue to grow exponentially, we must cling to our traditions and core values. Those are the true factors that not only drive growth, but also enable sustained institutional and societal excellence.

Tod Allen Farmer

President, Weatherford College

 


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