The students keep coming.

So, Jefferson College's facilities keep growing.

The latest example of the school addressing its need for space is the completion of a 6,000-square-foot construction project at its Arnold campus, 1687 Missouri State Road. The new section on the back of the building will be on display to the public during an open house from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

The building project added three general purpose classrooms, a computer classroom, a science lab and more faculty/administrative offices. The general purpose classrooms all are equipped with SMART technology, which includes touch-screen boards.

The $1.2 million expansion is directly linked to continuing enrollment increases, school officials said.

The Arnold campus facility itself is only a few years old. The original 40,000-square-foot building opened in August 2007 for the start of the 2007-2008 school year. It replaced the old Jefferson College-Arnold campus at 4400 Jeffco Boulevard.

College officials originally planned to sell the old Arnold campus, but reopened it in August 2010 as Jefferson College-Imperial to house the public safety programs.

The new Arnold campus drew flocks of students when classes began there four years ago and it has only become more popular over time, Jefferson College's Dena McCaffrey said.

"We're just excited to have this up-to-date facility," Jefferson College President Raymond Cummiskey said. "It's a great situation for our students up in Arnold."

McCaffrey said it's the economic, quality education Jefferson College offers that draws most students to the system. However, the Arnold campus also has the advantage of sitting next to the Arnold Recreation Center, so people know about it.

"I think our location makes us popular, as well as the quality of education the students receive," she said.

Jefferson College students said the Arnold site is convenient to them, but another of its features is it is not an overwhelming atmosphere.

"I like the campus," sophomore Ariel Lemmons, 20, of Imperial, said. "I like that it's small. It's a good location for me because it's near my house."

Cassie Buck, 30, of Arnold, has an associate's degree and is about to enter the college's nursing program by taking classes at the Arnold campus.

"I love it here," Buck said. "It's a nice facility."