Pikes Peak Community College will have a new name and program for the fall 2022 semester

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Some big changes are coming to Pikes Peak Community College this fall semester, beginning Monday, August 29.

The school will now be going by the name Pikes Peak State College and have new programs. School officials say the name reflects the expansion into offering Bachelor's Degrees and diverse programs that will fill local, in-demand positions.

Currently, the college offers three Bachelor's Degrees. Seven more are expected to launch in the upcoming years.

Also happening this fall, Pikes Peak State College will offer four new programs in health, wellness and fitness fields to accommodate a growing need in the industry in Colorado. Plus, eight more certificate and two-year degree programs are in the works to begin in the next few years.

"Over the years we have evolved," Karen Kavaly said with Pikes Peak State College. "As things change here at the college and grow we wanted our name to better reflect the value that we bring to our local workforce, our students, and our community in general."

School officials say in all the programs they develop, whether it's their certificates, two-year degrees, or four-year bachelor's degrees, they keep a close relationship with local businesses and industries to directly supply them with a workforce of trained graduates.

"Our main focus is aiming to provide workers into needed industries and businesses in our own communities," Kavaly said. "We are very connected to what's happening in the local community and we supply them with programs to train people to get into those needed industries."

While the school is undergoing a lot of changes, officials say the college's core policies will not change.

"A lot of the time people have a perception that if we change our name and elevate things, we're going to change other things about us," Kavaly said. "The things that aren't going to change are we're going to continue to have open enrollment and free admission. So anyone who applies to the college gets admitted."