DEARBORN — Future Driven. 

There appears to be truth behind the slogan of Henry Ford College (HFC), as the campus has plenty to look forward to in the coming years.

In an interview with The AANews, President Stan Jensen discussed the re-branded college’s turn-around since he began his tenure three years ago and the optimistic future that awaits. 

For the incoming fall semester, Jensen said the college would focus on student success. The board just approved a new strategic plan that aims to retain students and place them on a path to a degree in a timely manner.

“We want students to stay on target as far as getting a degree,” Jensen said. “It’s a real tragedy if students take classes for a year or two without obtaining any sort of degree. We want to keep students on a guided pathway. It’s important they get a degree and pick up certificates along the way.”

Recently, HFC unveiled the expansion of its culinary arts program. The four-year program allows students to get a degree in the field and earn certificates in specific areas such as baking. 

Jensen said that HFC’s research has indicated that the hospitality industry is thriving in the metro Detroit region, with hotels and casinos looking to increasingly hire qualified employees.

“It would be really good to have graduates coming out of that,” Jensen said. “The number one area in increasing jobs in Southeastern Michigan is in the hospitality area, culinary arts and casino. Hopefully that continues to happen and our students will be able to get better jobs. They can earn three certificates on the way through as well.”

Community and diversity

Jensen said HFC continues to focus on attracting a diverse group of students and faculty to accurately represent the metro Detroit population. 

He noted that approximately 35 percent of the student body resides in Dearborn, which includes a large Arab and Muslim population. The college’s English as a Second Language (ESL) programs have more than tripled in the last couple of years.

Henry Ford College also partners with Dearborn Public Schools on the “Early College” program, which allows high school students to obtain both a diploma and an associate’s degree in just five years.

Jensen said many parents and students prefer to take this route because it ends up cutting costs and saving time.

“It’s a great deal as far as increasing opportunities and cutting costs, which is a major concern for parents and students,” he said.

Jensen said initiatives have also been set in place to assist the underprivileged. Students who aren’t able to afford a meal can go to The Hawks Nest, a pantry that provides them with free grub. 

Annually, HFC also awards 280 scholarships to local students. The college partners with community organizations such as the Lebanese American Heritage Club (LAHC), ACCESS and other local organizations to award up to $250,000 in scholarships.

HFC has also increased its mentoring and student success programs. Among the initiatives include “The Inside Track”, a special program designed to give first time students an opportunity to improve grades and take the best advantage of financial aid and scholarships.

The WINGS program aims to assist female students majoring in science, technology, engineering, math and business.

“We are very committed to this community and we appreciate every citizen here and every student,” Jensen said. “The only reason we exist is to serve our students and community. We keep focus on that. Whatever helps our students become more successful is our ultimate goal.”

Henry Ford College is also looking to increase its collaborative efforts with the University of Michigan-Dearborn, located next door. The two campuses have already collaborated on security and student transfer programs.

Jensen would also like to continue utilizing major companies such as GM and Ford for HFC’s engineering program, by offering students apprenticeship and job training opportunities.  

‘Great things ahead’

When Jensen was appointed president in 2013, Henry Ford College was amidst a financial crisis and staff morale was low. However, he noted that the college was able to find a path to success again–making a $25 million turnaround in the last three years.

With a $10 million cash flow, the college has also been utilizing grants. It was approved for a $15 million Department of Labor grant. Just recently, HFC spent a $4.5 million grant from the state to acquire better equipment in its classrooms. 

Jensen noted that HFC has also been able to give its adjunct faculty a 10 percent raise in the last two years. 

“The unions have recently reported to me that morale is good and jobs are more secure,” Jensen said. “Our full time faculty is already well compensated and we deeply appreciate them. We would like to thank every union and every person involved to help make this happen.”

HFC has also been able to collect an extensive amount of debt from students who were scheming the financial aid system. Three years ago, students owed a total of $11.8 million in debt. But after implementing installment plans and refining the collection department, the debt now stands at just $2.4 million.

Jensen said part of the progress is attributed to finding avenues to limit costs for students, whether it be referring them to scholarship opportunities or enrolling them for dual credits.

“We’ve had almost a $10 million improvement,” he said. “We try to educate and streamline it as much as possible from our end. We point out there are other options outside of financial aid and student loans, like scholarships. It has been a whole team effort. We’ve also increased the number of students who are using our own installment plans to make pavements.”

Along with a name change and the re-branding of the college, the campus has also received a make over. Five years ago Henry Ford College was plagued with aging infrastructures and congested parking lots, many of them consumed with potholes. But now, students can enjoy plenty of scenery as they walk from their classes to  their cars. 

 “Our brand is future driven and we wanted to live that out,” Jensen said. “We’ve fixed all the roofs, sidewalks, parking lots and everything from shrubs, flowers and the lawns to look better. Students can really enjoy the walking paths. It looks much better and is a great place for anybody to come.”

Jensen’s signature on his emails states “Great things ahead”–outlining an optimistic future for the college.

“I do believe that,” he said. “We are increasingly improving the systems here and are able to serve our students better. Life is not easy, sometimes. Everybody has hurdles to get over. I think it’s important to have compassion and concern for students and have respect for them. We want every day to be a new day at HFC. It’s a great place to get going again, regardless of where you are academically.”