Information provided by DACC
With another double-digit enrollment increase, Danville Area
Community College continues to be a happening place for students.
For the Fall Semester, DACC enrollment is up by more than 11 percent in credit
hours while overall headcount is up by 13 percent.
In his role as provost, Vice President Carl Bridges leads the College’s enrollment-
management initiatives. He says, “We have nearly 300 more students attending
DACC than we did last fall. The increase includes 100 more African-American
students. What I love about the community we serve is that the people here
understand DACC’s inclusiveness, that the College has an open door for anyone
seeking a better life through education.”
Dr. Bridges attributes this enrollment boom partially to the “Bonus Program” that
gives students a $600 credit—which amounts to a free class—if they register for at
least 12 credits. “This Fall, we have 12 percent more students taking a full-time
course load than in 2022. Not only does this help boost enrollment, but an even
more important benefit is that being full-time keeps students on track to graduate
on time.”
Another key to the enrollment boom is the 13-percent growth in high-school dual-
credit enrollment. Dual-credit classes give college-bound students a head start
toward their college degrees, whether at DACC or at other colleges and universities.
For the first time in more than 10 fall semesters, enrollment in DACC’s bachelor’s-
degree transfer programs has increased—up by 7 percent. This category includes
students who are seeking a bachelor’s degree through the DACC-Franklin
University 3 + 1 partnership.
The College also reports steep enrollment increases in College Express for high-
school students taking career-and-technical classes at DACC (up 8 percent), a 13-
percent increase in students taking adult-education classes to earn a high-school
2
diploma, and a 26-percent increase in courses taught online or as a hybrid that
combines online with in-class instruction.
The Fall enrollment increase follows a trend that began this past spring with an 8-
percent jump in enrollment. DACC’s summer enrollment rose by 16 percent.
DACC President Stephen Nacco points out that the DACC Foundation has once
again played a major role in supporting enrollment growth. “Through the efforts of
the Foundation Board, Executive Director Tonya Hill, and hundreds of local donors,
for the third year in a row, every student who applied for scholarship assistance
received it. This year, the Foundation has awarded more than 760 scholarships, and
for the first time ever, the total has passed $1 million—a figure that as recently as
three years ago no one other than Tonya Hill thought was possible.”
Dr. Bridges points out that it’s not too late to get into DACC classes. The College
expects to see continued enrollment growth in the weeks ahead. Late-start classes
begin on Mon., Sept. 18. Eight-week classes begin on Mon., Oct. 16.
To apply to DACC online, visit www.dacc.edu or call 217-443-3222.
