By AMY JONES / Associate Editor

HOOVER — Jefferson State Community College has been named one of the top 10 digital community colleges in the country by the Digital Community College Survey.

The survey, now in its seventh year, shows which colleges are best using information technology.

Jeff State President Judy Merritt said the college works to provide the best technology for students, faculty and staff.

“We are extremely proud of this recognition and our efforts to enhance student success through technology,” Merritt said.

The survey looked at how community colleges integrated technology into campus life, including through online admissions processes, distance education, technology training for students and faculty, campus security alerts, mobile devices and social networking sites, among other technological capabilities.

Cathilea Robinett, executive vice president of the Center for Digital Education, which produced the survey, said community colleges work hard to integrate technological advances because enrollment numbers continue to rise.

“Expanded distance learning offerings, use of mobile devices and greater collaboration, among other efforts, demonstrate these winners’ drive to provide students with a high-quality education at a lower cost,” she said.

This is the second time Jeff State has ranked in the top 10 in the Digital Community College Survey. With an enrollment of more than 10,000 students, Jeff State is in the survey’s “large colleges” category.