ESCANABA — Enrollment numbers at Bay College have gone up this fall, according to college officials.

Bay College Vice President of Student Services Travis Blume said that, as of Friday, 1,958 students were enrolled at Bay for the fall 2018 semester.

“We’re hovering right around that 2,000 number, which is really exciting,” he said. Blume noted that this marked a six percent increase from the college’s fall 2017 semester in terms of headcount.

At Bay’s Iron Mountain campus, enrollment has seen a 10 percent increase this fall compared to the Fall 2017 semester.

“Their enrollment is going well,” Blume said.

Blume said one of the most significant factors behind these increases has been the expansion of local early college programs.

“We’re seeing an increase in our early college agreements,” he said. These programs give students an opportunity to work towards earning college degrees or certificates while they are still in high school.

This fall, Bay has begun new partnerships with Escanaba Area High School, Mid Peninsula High School and Big Bay de Noc School on early college programs. Additional dual-enrollment opportunities have been established with schools near Bay’s Escanaba and Iron Mountain campuses.

“We are very excited about the expansion of our partnerships around dual-enrollment and early college this year,” Bay College President Laura Coleman said.

Bay College’s staff and faculty are happy that a larger student population is attending Bay this fall, Blume said.

“We’re all excited to see that increase in students and … help these students work towards earning their degrees and certificates,” he said.

Coleman said she is glad to see this increase, as well.

“(I’m) very, very pleased that our enrollment is up this year … and that the work our academics and student services have been doing is achieving (these) results,” she said.