LCC N ews
During the recent Labette Community College Board of Trustees meeting, members heard about the college’s sociology and social work programs.
The reports were presented by Dr. Jason Sharp, the vice president of academic affairs.
The semesters included in each review spanned from the Fall 2022 semester through the Summer 2025 semester. Both programs are also geared toward students who will be transferring to four-year institutions to continue their education.
The on-campus sociology courses had an average of 33 students per year and saw a total enrollment of 99 students over the reviewed semesters. The total completion rate for those three years was 87%. In the online courses, the averages were higher. Total enrollment was 434, or an average of 145 students per academic year. The total completion rate was 96%.
In industry trends, the review noted data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which stated that employment of sociologists is predicted to increase by 4% by 2034. This is the same as the average growth across all occupations.
See PROGRAM, Page 3.
This equates to roughly 300 job openings per year.
In 2024, the median annual wage for sociologists was $101,690.
Robert Perez, the major advisor and a professor, was also present to comment on the program and highlighted the high rate of student success.
“We are on the right path,” Perez said. The social work review highlighted the growth of enrollment over the last several years. In 2023, the total enrollment across all social work courses was 25 students; 22 students completed their course successfully. In the 2024 academic year 35 students enrolled and 31 students completed their courses. In 2025, 44 students were enrolled in a social work course, and 42 students completed their coursework.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics data on the industry states that social work employment opportunities will increase by 6% by 2034, with 74,000 job openings projected each year. The median wage in the industry as of 2024 is $61,330.
Mark Mikel, a licensed social worker with the Labette Center for Mental Health, said the class partners with several agencies that employ social workers. This partnership allows students to shadow professionals, which helps the students see the application of concepts learned in class.
Both program reviews were approved by the trustees.
In other business, the board approved a $24,000 quote for financial auditing services by Jarred, Gilmore, and Phillips; an increase of $1,500 from last year; and changes to the Tutoring Services policy and the Substance Use Prevention Program were approved.
The Labette Community College Board of Trustees will hold its next regular meeting on Thursday, March 12, at 5:30 p.m. at the Cardinal Event Center.
