Minority graduation rates have seen a dramatic increase in recent years at Calhoun Community College, part of an overall increase the school announced Monday.

Calhoun, the state's largest community college with more than 9,800 students between its campuses in Huntsville and Decatur, said that its overall graduation rates have increased by more than 30 percent over the past three years.

Regarding minority graduation rates, Calhoun said there was a 100 percent increase in Hispanic/Latino males, a 55 percent increase by African-American males and American Indian/Alaska Native males increasing 40 percent.

The school also said that Hispanic/Latino females increased more than 230 percent.

"We are extremely pleased with our latest graduation rates," Calhoun President James Klauber said. "Our Calhoun team has worked tirelessly over the last few years developing and implementing strategies directly aimed at increasing the college's graduation numbers.These initiatives have included assigned advisors for our students; streamlining the admissions process; and promoting the importance of regular class attended.

"We are particularly excited with the increased numbers we are seeing among our male students of color. Our work with Achieving the Dream and the M2C3 initiative, both of which provide resources toward improving retention and success rates among our male students of color, have had impressive results, which are demonstrated in the graduation increases we are seeing."