BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Stephen Ettiene, an international student from the Caribbean, got his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from a school in New York before coming out to Texas for his graduate program in leadership for sustainability.
"I wanted to better my circumstances and increase my value," said Ettiene.
But he's not the only one — Texas A&M Central Texas is experiencing a big jump in overall and graduate student enrollment.
"We see it a lot with careers that need a master's degree," said Loida Gonzalez Utley, the University's recruitment director.
Utley said the growth of the grad program—which comprises 27% of all students—results from the rapidly growing industrial presence in our community.
"We're seeing more growth of higher industries like Samsung and Meta, so we're getting all these plans that are contributing," Gonzalez Utley said.
Bell County has also seen a 6% increase in population since 2020, which the university says is another reason for the rise in grad students.
But it's not the only possible reason.
"The increase is really coming from the students' self-awareness and willingness to either change careers or grow in their fields," said Manager Mia Coltrane of Graduate Services.
Students like Stephen continue to grow their knowledge as much as they can.
"I am glad I came here so I can keep on growing, and I am thankful that this country gave me this opportunity," Stephen said.
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