(By Mia Bucher ’25, staff writer)
LVC is continuing to grow and students have concerns about how the College plans to adjust.
Fall of 2024 welcomed LVC’s largest class of 480 first-year students and 49 transfers.
Additionally, the nursing program continues to grow and will admit up to 60 students each year.
The College’s continued growth can be attributed to popular programs including physical therapy, speech-language pathology and nursing combined with the countless opportunities for student musicians, athletes and those looking for an inclusive campus. While expansion is beneficial, current students are experiencing growing pains.
“We are already spread thin with the students we already have in regard to parking and housing,” Zafrin Zalal, a sophomore social justice and sociology major, said. “During my time as a [first-year mentor], I have worked firsthand with students, both my mentees and not, asking for help and asking for resources to their various rooming issues.”
The College guarantees housing needs are met. It is required that students live on campus for four years. According to the office of residential life, rising seniors may apply for a housing exemption to move off-campus.
“LVC year after year has accepted more and more students than the previous year,” Zalal said. “This is guaranteed to cause some issues, especially in regard to the space we have here on campus. We have two residential buildings dedicated to only freshman students and still, we have several students who live in Hammond because of overflow.”
Campus offices continue to implement plans to alleviate any stress resulting from the increasing population. The concern lies in whether the College can maintain its rate of adjustment to the rate of growth.
LVC was also selected to receive the American Talent Initiative Grant, which will be used in partnership with Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC). The grant will encourage HACC students who have earned an associate’s degree to transfer to LVC to finish a bachelor’s or master’s program.
“I certainly applaud the President’s office for drawing additional revenue to the school and providing access to affordable bachelor’s and master’s degrees to those in our local community,” Delaney Dyer, a junior biology major, said. “However, an area of concern in the commuter population is that there are significant parking shortages on campus. I encourage the President’s office to explore creative solutions to ensure students have access to parking.”
Students have raised concerns about parking, and surveys can be found throughout campus for input.
It is typical for colleges and universities to expand to meet the demand for higher education. At LVC, students ask that all aspects of campus life improve cohesively.
