The fate of Hope College is in the hands of the board of director members for now.
On August 7, Hope College President Jon Ohlhauser stepped down from his role to pursue new opportunities.
Paul Andrew, Hope College chair for the board of directors, said the College is still planning to open this fall with a registration of about 20 students.
He explained the college’s enrollment has grown over the past couple of years.
“The first year we had six students. The second year we had 12 and this year we have 20 some, there are 19 already and there are still people making enquiries,” he said.
“Everyone I talk to thinks Hope College is a fabulous idea,” Andrew said.
Andrew told inSide Drumheller that a community in Nova Scotia with 2,500 permanent residents has a university, which in 2011 had a student population of over 5,100. Andrew believes with community support Hope College can have a population similar to this.
“This is a town, smaller than Drumheller, that in the 1800’s decided they need something other than fishing, so they started this college. It went to a University and now they have the (option) of degrees in education, law… a whole (bunch) of stuff,” he said.
“This is a community that got behind this post-secondary institution and made it happen. That can happen in Drumheller. Hope College can be the crown jewel of Drumheller if we have the support of the community,” he explained.
Andrew said the future plan for Hope College is to replace Ohlhauser’s position with three part time positions.
“There are three different distinct areas. There is academic administration which is the paperwork and registrar kind of thing, and then there is the janitorial maintenance kind of person and then there is marketing and recruitment,” he explained.
Andrew said a “big” way Hope College could make a difference in Drumheller would be to have a student population of 500.
“Imagine if we had 500 students come here to study and that covers the months when we have no tourists here,” he said, explaining that by having these students here they would be renting apartments, using facilities such as restaurants and grocery stores while living in the town.
“If we have people in Drumheller with top-notch skills it is going to draw more business into Drumheller,” he said.
Andrew feels that Hope College could be capable of, “continuing education, weekend seminars, (weekly) courses for a month, and part time courses.”
“We just have to have an understanding with the community that we are there for whatever the community deems is necessary, so we need feedback from the community,” Andrew said.
Hope College board members held a meeting Thursday and have passed a motion that brings exciting changes for the college. No further information was available at press time.
