The Huber Heights Learning Center. Photo Credit: Jay Mazega
Sinclair’s learning centers in Englewood and Huber Heights will close at the end of the fiscal year, an official confirmed. The decision comes as educational institutions around the country continue to adapt to a post-pandemic world.
In conversation with The Clarion, Catherine Petersen, Chief of Public Information at the Office of Sinclair’s President stated that the decision was made by the college’s board in a recent meeting. Members, in consultation with local community leaders and specialists, came to the conclusion that the closures would best help Sinclair continue to meet the needs of its expanding student body.
“Sinclair Community College will no longer offer courses at the Englewood and Huber Heights Learning Centers as of the end of the Spring semester in May 2024, with full closure by the end of fiscal year 2024,” Petersen said.
“Both centers were established in 2006 and it’s important to remember how vital they were at the time. The Great Recession was just starting and there was an influx of adults looking for new skills to improve their employment opportunities,” she said.
The locations’ peak enrollment figures confirm that. Their best annual enrolment periods saw the Englewood Learning Center welcome more than 2,500 students, while the Huber Heights campus educated nearly 3,000 people.
Petersen said, “Unfortunately, enrollment at both locations has steadily dropped over the past decade. The pandemic accelerated that trend. For the 2022-2023 fiscal year, combined enrollment at both centers was less than 200 students.”
The drop in enrollment at the centers comes as online services continue to see strong demand from students. The pandemic brought a sea change to education systems around the world, with better online infrastructure and programs a must for any modern college or university.
“Additionally, more and more students are choosing to enroll at Sinclair in their high school through College Credit Plus, benefiting from Sinclair’s more streamlined curriculum,” Petersen said.
Students are receiving full support from the college in preparation for the upcoming change. The college’s other satellite campuses will remain unaffected.
Ismael David Mujahid, Executive Editor