Historic High: Gateway Celebrates Record-Breaking Student Enrollment

Published on Oct 29, 2024

Gateway Community & Technical College recorded its largest enrollment in its history this fall, rising to more than 5,200 students, an increase of 10% in total enrollment from the fall 2023 semester. 

"We are incredibly proud to announce this enrollment milestone. It is a testament to our dedication to delivering accessible, high-quality education that meets the needs of our community,” said Gateway President, Fernando Figueroa. “Whether it's our online classes, our industry-leading trade programs, or the transferable general education courses that we offer, Gateway continues to be a dependable institution for the students across Northern Kentucky. As we look to the future, we will remain dedicated to helping our students achieve their academic and career goals."

The enrollment increase is a direct reflection of the college’s commitment to providing accessible and affordable education to Northern Kentuckians looking to begin successful trade careers or general education learners collecting the tools needed to succeed at the university level. 

"At Gateway, we are focused on delivering academic programs that prepare students for the workforce or the next step in their educational journey. The recent rise in enrollment displays the value of our diverse offerings, from hands-on technical training to courses that transfer seamlessly to four-year universities,” said Gateway Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs, Teri VonHandorf. “We are thrilled to see more students recognizing the great benefits of a Gateway education and look forward to supporting them as they pursue their dreams for a lifetime of career success.”

In 2024, Gateway’s nursing graduates achieved over a 90% first-time pass rate on the NCLEX exam, a nationwide examination for the licensing of nurses in the United States. Gateway’s Dean of Health Professions, Amber Carter said that the pass rate was, “a direct reflection of the commitment of Gateway’s faculty and the rigorous preparation that the nursing program provides. Our programs are expanding, and our class sizes continue to grow but one thing that will remain the same is that each and every one of our graduates is ready to excel in the healthcare field.”  

The enrollment growth brought significant development to the college’s paramedic program as well with the introduction of a second cohort, allowing Gateway to train more paramedics and strengthen emergency medical services in the Northern Kentucky community. “We’re so proud and beyond excited to continue this momentum to further enhance the health and well-being of those we serve” said Carter. 

Dean of Business, IT, and Professional Studies, Chris Rickels also commented, “We heard our students loud and clear that offering flexibility was key. One of Gateway’s oldest programs, early childhood education, and one of Gateway’s newest programs, paralegal, both moved to a blend of online and remote course offerings, and both saw significant enrollment growth this year. We know that there are folks who want a degree to advance in their professions but feel like colleges aren’t honoring their work experience. Well, we are.”

Founded in 2001, Gateway serves more than 5,200 students as Northern Kentucky’s only public, two-year comprehensive community and technical college; it was named one of the top community colleges in U.S by the Aspen Institute last year. 

For more information about the programs offered at Gateway, visit the Gateway Program Finder.