Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tula/Tewila Technical College reports enrollment gains, names Lorenzo de Graffenreid student of the year
Summary
Tula/Tewila Technical College told Grantsville council its enrollment rose about 4% during a major building expansion and announced a March 28 ribbon cutting; the college’s president introduced student of the year Lorenzo de Graffenreid, who described retraining in software development.
Tula/Tewila Technical College reported to the Grantsville City Council on Feb. 5 that campus construction is nearly complete, enrollment is up roughly 4% despite extensive renovations, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for March 28 at 1 p.m. President Hacking gave the presentation and introduced the college’s student of the year, Lorenzo de Graffenreid.
The college’s building-expansion project, Hacking said, required moving programs and reducing lab space at times. "We've been able to maintain quality programs while jackhammers are going off," Hacking said, and the work is expected to finish next month. He told the council the school had capped enrollment in some programs during construction and that roughly 70% of the college’s budget comes from state appropriations. Hacking said officials hope legislative funding would allow the college to staff newly finished program space.
The college described planned program growth including increases to CDL, welding and diesel programs, and potential future additions such as machining and plumbing apprenticeship classes. Hacking said the institution planned a renewed marketing brand intended to make the college more distinctive; he showed a branding video and described the new logo’s arrowhead and mountain motifs as symbols of "focus, strength, and direction."
Student of the year Lorenzo de Graffenreid addressed the council about his path to technical education. Lorenzo said he returned to school after a job loss and recovery from surgery and that Tula/Tewila Tech’s open-entry programs allowed him to begin classes without waiting for the next semester. "Nothing beats a failure but a try," Lorenzo said, describing how the college helped him convert a long-held hobby in coding into a career pathway.
President Hacking invited council members to the March 28 ribbon cutting and thanked the city for past support of the institution.
The college’s presentation took about 35 minutes; council members asked follow-up questions about construction phasing and property the college had hoped to buy for future expansion.
