More than 120 Graduate from Nicolet College with In-demand Skills to Advance Northwoods Economic Development

A total of 127 individuals made the milestone transition from college student to graduate as Nicolet College recently held a graduation ceremony for individuals completing this step of their education during the 2021 Fall Term. 

“Having the grit to complete a college degree during the best of times is no small feat,” said Nicolet President Kate Ferrel. “The determination and perseverance it takes to do so during a pandemic makes it even more challenging and those who graduated deserve an even higher level of congratulations for their efforts to accomplish this very positive, life-changing achievement.”  

In all, the college bestowed 132 associate degrees, technical diplomas, certificates, and apprenticeship completions during Fall Term 2021. Several students earned more than one academic credential during this time.  

Another 10 individuals earned a GED or HSED through Nicolet’s Academic Success department during Fall Term. 

Ferrel also noted that Nicolet continued to buck the national trend of declining enrollments due to the pandemic.  

Across the country, two-year community colleges experienced an average 9.2 percent enrollment decline during the Fall Term of 2020 and another 9.2 percent decline on top of that for the most recent Spring Term of 2021. 

Nicolet finished the 2020-21 academic year with a 2.24% increase in enrollment based on full-time equivalents (FTEs), which is a measure of the total number of credits students take. Nicolet was also the only college in the Wisconsin Technical College System to post an increase last year.  

Ferrel attributed the growth to the infrastructure Nicolet had in place to convert almost all instruction to a virtual format when the pandemic hit last year.  

Nicolet had first implemented online instruction more than a dozen years ago and since that time has continuously increased the number of courses offered virtually. 

“We knew how to deliver a quality virtual college education through that past experience and, when the pandemic hit, it was just a matter of converting the in-person classes to the virtual format,” Ferrel explained. “That was a huge factor in our ability to keep students on track to earn a college education to help them get ahead in life and for graduates to meet the skilled workforce demands Northwoods employers need to be efficient, productive and profitable.” 

During the recently completed Fall Term, 53 percent of classes were delivered entirely online, 32 percent in a hybrid format which are part online and part in-person, and 15 percent entirely in-person. 

For information on the more than 60 different associate degrees, diplomas, certificates, and apprenticeships Nicolet offers, visit nicoletcollege.edu or call the college at (715) 365-4493.