SORRENTO, La. – Offering college-credit classes at the First United Methodist Church in La Place in a shortened-semester format this past fall proved to be so popular that River Parishes Community College will offer day classes at the church this spring in a regular 16 week format.

Crystal Lee, Dean of Academic Studies at River Parishes Community College, said &#8220RPCC’s primary goal is to provide access for students in the river parishes, and the college is searching for innovative ways to increase enrollment opportunities.”

Responding to the needs of storm-displaced students who formerly attended New Orleans area colleges and universities, River Parishes Community College enrolled more than 80 students in the fall. Since many of the New Orleans colleges are not able to re-open fully for the spring, River Parishes Community College developed the LaPlace spring schedule with the hope that it would allow

St. John the Baptist and St. Charles parish students to continue their college education during the transition.

Most students attending classes at the First United Methodist Church, on Highway 51, have been enrolled in nursing and other allied health programs. Therefore, the college’s spring schedule reflects an on-going need for pre-nursing and general education classes. Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, Nutrition and Medical Terminology are among the classes most requested by students.

River Parishes Community College has also moved to offer more afternoon, evening and Saturday classes on its Sorrento campus, in an effort to meet the needs of a growing student population. The Saturday schedule includes Developmental Psychology, Microbiology, Nutrition and Medical Terminology. Saturday classes will meet from 9:00 to 11:45 in the morning on the main campus.

While the college is still in the early registration period, classes in Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology, and other required pre-nursing courses are filling rapidly. The early registration period ends on Dec. 2. The college will resume registering students on Jan. 2, and spring classes begin on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

River Parishes Community College is a two-year learning institution, fully-accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Associate Degrees. The school is located at 7384 John LeBlanc Blvd. in Sorrento.

For more information about River Parishes Community College, financial aid, student loans, or to enroll in classes, call 225-675-8270 or log on to www.rpcc.edu.