San Diego, CA – Amidst nationwide declines in enrollment, San Diego Mesa College has recently seen an uptick in enrollments and registration in Fall 2022 short-term and late-start classes that are specifically designed to meet student needs. Mesa College offers over 100 courses that are short-terms (less than the traditional 16 weeks) and are also “late-start”, meaning that those classes begin weeks or even months after the traditional August semester start. Short term classes are a great option for working students, and allow student to earn units much more quickly. Many of these courses prepare students for local careers, which will have a direct positive impact on the local economy. California's community colleges such as Mesa College have added $128.2 billion in income to the California economy.

At Mesa College in San Diego, Vice President of Student Instruction Isabel O'Connor noticed something this fall that she hasn't seen in years. "As I was driving to campus, there was a lot of traffic," she says. "And I was just so thrilled to see that." Traffic issues aside, community college administrators across San Diego are thrilled to see enrollment numbers rise this year, following nearly five years of annual declines. "It almost feels like we're at a crossroads now and people are ready to re-enroll in college," says Dr. Mark Sanchez, the President and Superintendent of Southwestern Community College.