Events
College Welcomes Historic Enrollment and Launches New Degree Program
RALEIGH, N.C. (August 18, 2025) – A new academic year at Wake Tech began Monday with a huge surge in enrollment and a new degree program!
The college welcomed more than 28,600 degree-seeking students for the first day of the Fall semester. That's nearly 3,000 more students than this time last year – an 11% increase. It's the highest enrollment in college history. More than 9,500 of those students are new to Wake Tech, which is also a record.
The college launched a Respiratory Therapy Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree program at the Perry Health Sciences Campus. Respiratory Therapy is a five-semester program focused on developing proficiency in respiratory care practices, enabling graduates to carry out diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The program is designed to help address the critical shortage of respiratory therapists in Wake County.
Tiffany Leung is one of the 14 students beginning the Respiratory Therapy program this semester. She is already employed as a nurse aide at WakeMed but decided to change her health care focus.
"When I found out that Wake Tech is offering Respiratory Therapy, I decided it was the perfect time to learn something new. I am so excited the college added this program," she said.
Wake Tech will also break ground on a major expansion of the campus next month. A state-of-the-art simulation hospital will allow the college to grow and enhance its health care programs with realistic training and help Wake Tech meet the demand for skilled professionals across the Triangle.
Wake Tech President Dr. Scott Ralls stopped by the Perry Health Sciences Campus to greet students with donuts and chat with them as they headed to class. He also surprised a few unsuspecting students with $250 scholarships from the Wake Tech Foundation to help pay for books. Ralls calls these scholarships "Golden Tickets," and he hands them out with chocolate bars made by students in the Baking & Pastry Arts program.
Gabriella Romero is one of the lucky students who received a golden ticket Monday. She is pursuing an AAS degree in Medical Sonography and arrived early to check out the campus and locate her classes. She was not expecting to go home with a scholarship.
"This is so cool! I can't wait to tell my parents," Romero said. "This motivates me to try my hardest. Thank you, Wake Tech. I am so grateful!"
"We want to embrace our students as they step onto campus today and every step of the way to their success," said Ralls. "We want them to finish their classes and keep moving forward so they reach that last step across the stage at graduation."
Staff and faculty were on hand at Wake Tech's seven campuses across Wake County to welcome students, answer questions and help them navigate buildings and find classrooms. Resource fairs, activities and food giveaways are planned for students at multiple campuses throughout the week.
In addition to Respiratory Therapy, Wake Tech also has new certificates in Biotechnology, Interior Design and Civil engineering. There are also new diplomas in Architectural Technology, Geomatics Technology and Electronics Engineering Technology.
Wake Tech has several other expansion projects in the works, including the Advanced Technology Center and Fire and Rescue Training Center at Wake Tech East, in Wendell. The college is also renovating the 40-year-old math and science building on the Southern Wake Campus with updated classrooms, biology and chemistry labs, study areas and offices.
