John Wood Community College Board of Trustees heard a report about an increase in fall enrollment during a regular meeting held on August 20, 2025, at the College’s Bella Ease Center in downtown Quincy.
JWCC opened its location at Bella Ease in August of last year. The leased facility offers GED preparation, adult literacy, Certified Nursing Assistant training, and truck driver lecture courses. The partnership between JWCC and Bella Ease is focused on increasing access to educational opportunities for underserved local students to make higher education more attainable.
In the last year JWCC served 38 students at the Bella Ease location, 10 of whom earned a GED, 10 completed CNA training, and three began a logistics certificate.
During the meeting, Interim JWCC President Josh Welker shared first day fall enrollment figures. JWCC’s headcount stands at 1,893, up 2.8 percent from the previous year’s 1,842 first-day figure. JWCC’s 1,893 students are enrolled in 19,333 credit hours compared to last fall when students took 18,864 credit hours. Welker also reported that the College’s summer enrollment was up 15 percent.
“This is the second straight fall that we have seen an increase in enrollment, and it shows that student-focused initiatives continue to make a positive impact,” JWCC Interim President Josh Welker said. “We are back to pre-Covid enrollment levels and encouraged by these first day numbers. Now we focus on ensuring students receive the supports they need in and outside of the classroom to achieve success and complete their chosen four-year transfer and career paths.”
Welker noted that JWCC will continue to enroll students in the traditional 16-week semester format through early next week in addition to 12-week and 8-week sessions that begin later in the fall semester.
In other business, the Board:
Accepted a $151,964 in grant funds from the Illinois Community College Board for the Adult Education and Literacy program.
Accepted $95,082 in grant funds from the Illinois State Library and Jesse White Secretary of State for the Adult Literacy Volunteer program.
Authorized entry into a 13-month lease agreement with Illinois Valley Paving for office space at JWCC’s Agricultural Center. The company is a contractor with the Illinois Department of Transportation working on a project near the Ag Center.
Approved transfer of $120,000 from operating funds to ensure sufficient fund levels for student transportation, athletics, and food service auxiliary funds for the current fiscal year.
Approved transfer of $380,000 from operating funds to the Restricted Purposes Fund for future Board-designated initiatives such as investments in new academic programs and equipment.
Accepted a $82,463.10 bid from Quincy-based SJ Smith Company to provide six Power Wave 300C Advanced Process Welders.
The next meeting will be September 17, 2025, at 6 p.m. at JWCC’s Quincy campus.
