At Fort Hays State University, virtual education has been a staple of the school’s recent growth.

When the school announced 9,342 students were enrolled this spring, it was up 961 from last spring’s totals.

Nearly all the growth, however, came in its virtual program, which grew by 915 students to 5,327, representing more than half of the school’s overall enrollment.

Fort Hays State President Ed Hammond said the school is taking advantage of a growing need among the population.

“We know that students are going to have to go back to a post-secondary institution three times, four times, if they’re going to stay relevant,” he said.

Hammond said that in the future, he anticipates many will choose to do so online. That’s why he encourages students enrolled on campus to take at least one class online.

“Whole careers are going to disappear and whole new careers are going to be created,” Hammond said.

As an example of a career path that didn’t exist in the not-too-distant past, Hammond pointed to Fort Hays’ information assurance program, which focuses on the security of digital networks and data storage.

The 34 credit-hour program is offered online.

When workers fall out of a certain career, they’re often locked in place in their community, perhaps with a spouse who’s working and children in school.

“These students are not geographically mobile,” Hammond said. “The vast majority of students who take online courses fall into that category.”