2024 State of the College

Our mission as Tarrant County's community college has never been more clear. Our vision extends far beyond the horizon. Our achievements just inspire more of the same.

Take a look at our 2024 academic year successes and discover what's planned for '25.

News Release

2024 State of the College: TCC Making a Big Difference

Friday, August 9, 2024

FORT WORTH, Texas—Calling it the most impactful academic year in Tarrant County College history, Chancellor Elva LeBlanc today recapped 2024 successes and outlined plans for more in her annual State of the College address and employee celebration.

"No community college anywhere is doing more to ignite positive change, boost quality of life and deliver an exceptional education," she said. "With the support of our Board of Trustees, TCC Foundation board members and community, we are turning potential into reality for thousands of Tarrant County residents.

"We're setting a high bar, and others are taking notice."

Achievement and Opportunity

Fall 2023 enrollment approached 45,000 credit students. If the fall '24 number tops that—as expected—it will be TCC's highest headcount since the pandemic.

The College cheered more than 7,200 graduates at spring 2024 commencement. Nearly 700 were Early College High School students completing an associate degree and earning a high school diploma at the same time.

Beginning this September, almost 600 adults who've aged out of traditional high schools will simultaneously earn their diploma and complete certification in one of 10 career and technical education courses, the upshot to an unprecedented dual enrollment effort with New Heights Education. The only program of its kind in the state, the opportunity is open to all eligible Tarrant County residents.

And TCC continues to rank second among the most affordable Big 10 Community Colleges in Texas. The TCC Foundation secured almost $2 million in the last academic cycle to help Trailblazers fulfill their dream of a higher education.

Partnerships and Programs

TCC offers more than 240 high-quality degree and certificate options. When business and industry giants need specialized and innovative offerings, guess where they turn.

More than 1,200 partners share the College's goals for greatness. Collaborations abound.

Fall 2023 saw the launch of the TCC film workforce development program—the Fort Worth Film Collaborative—thanks to a partnership with the Fort Worth Film Commission and 101 Studios. The arrangement supports local talent to build a robust film industry workforce in Tarrant County.
TCC was named a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense last October and is helping meet the need for skilled professionals to protect the global information infrastructure.
A partnership with Siemens—a national leader in breakthrough technology—is creating a talent pipeline for nuclear medicine technicians. TCC's program is one of only five in Texas.
Together with Penn State and UT Arlington, TCC is strengthening applicants for semiconductor jobs by offering a free 12-week Microelectronics and Nanomanufacturing Certificate program to veterans and their dependents. Classes begin next month.
In partnership with the Tarrant County Jail, the Next Phase Program is giving inmates a second chance. Nonviolent offenders start certificate completion classes while serving their time, then they finish when they're released.
TCC and the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence have eliminated travel for students and area automotive professionals needing to take ASE certification exams—the testing now can happen in Fort Worth.
First responders for 80 fire and law enforcement agencies are receiving true-to-career preparation at the College's Public Safety Training Center. The center served more than 19,000 students last year and graduated five fire and six law enforcement academies.

Impact and Investment

A recent study by the nationally recognized labor market firm Lightcast shows TCC's value extending far beyond a traditional two-year college education. Of the $2.1 billion the College generates annually for North Texas, $1.7 billion comes from the higher earnings of graduates and the increased productivity of the businesses that employ them.

"Without doubt, there is great value in a TCC education," Dr. LeBlanc said.

Associate degree graduates on average will earn an undiscounted $377,200 more than high school graduates over their working lives in Texas ($9,200 more annually per graduate). Students who transfer to a four-year institution and earn a bachelor's degree will make $29,100 more than a high school graduate each year.

Fortified by a voter-approved bond program, the College has opened four new buildings, including key structures in the redevelopment of its Northwest and Southeast campuses, and refreshed technology in multiple classrooms.

Next year state-of-the-art child care centers open at TCC Northwest and South, bolstering student-parent attendance and early childhood education options.

2030 and Beyond

As a capstone to its 2024 academic year, TCC received notice of its 10-year reaffirmation of accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, confirming its stance to transform lives and communities.

Next month TCC will present the trustees a new multiyear strategic plan that follows a six-month development process with input from students, employees, and community and business partners. Expect a full rollout in spring 2025.

Chancellor LeBlanc: "Trailblazing Together: 2030 is a transformative path forward with undeniable economic impact. Reflecting Texas House Bill 8, it guides what we do and how we do it to enrich the student and employee experience, generate more credentials of value and position Tarrant County College as a role model for two-year institutions."

Numerous celebrations will mark 2024-25: Sixty years as Tarrant County's community college. The 15th anniversary of the Trinity River Campus. The 10th birthday of TCC Connect. A decade of incredible results at the Erma C. Johnson Hadley Northwest Center of Excellence for Aviation, Transportation and Logistics.

"Make no mistake, we are ready for our boldest academic year, our farthest reach, our most daring accomplishments," Dr. LeBlanc said. "The best is yet to come."

Tarrant County College is one of the nation's largest higher education institutions and boasts the second lowest tuition of Texas' Top 10 community colleges. A comprehensive two-year college with six campuses in Tarrant County and online classes, TCC offers a range of opportunities for learners of all ages and backgrounds, including Associate of Arts and Associate of Applied Science degrees; workforce and economic development programs; technical and skilled trades programs; and customized training for area businesses and corporations.

Watch the 2024 State of the College

Updated August 09, 2024