PITTSBURG — Freshman enrollment at Pittsburg State University continues its fiveyear climb — this time with a 12% leap, a strong indicator that student success strategies put in place in recent years are working, administrators say.
Freshman enrollment exceeds last year’s class by 107 students, for a total of 1,042. Also up this year: retention of first-year students, new transfer students and the persistence of sophomores to their junior year.
Total enrollment is 5,803—a .5% increase over last year’s 5,774.
These figures were among the preliminary 20th-day enrollment figures released by the Kansas Board of Regents this week.
“The numbers are a reflection of strategies that staff, faculty, and administrators have worked hard to implement in the past few years,” said Vice President Karl Stumo. “For example, outstanding academic advising and faculty mentorship systems, among other things.”
Stumo pointed to other initiatives that have helped: — Reduced financial barriers thanks to the Great Gorilla Scholarship Program, which awards scholarships to current students who meet grade point requirements, and significant investments in university financial aid.
—Better awareness due to increased promotion of academic programs and outreach to high schools.
— Greater student engagement by University Housing & Residence Life, including learning communities, activities, and more.
— Improved access to mental and physical health services, thanks to Telus Health 24-7 online counseling and the Bryant Student Health Center’s partnership with Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas.
The university also has assessed the demand and growth capacity of academic programs to help define enrollment and research goals and to align with workforce demands in the region and the state.
New this fall
The university has launched the Pitt State Family Portal — an innovative new platform designed to strengthen family involvement, improve communication, and empower families to actively support their student’s college journey.
“The progress we’ve made, along with our updated student recruitment efforts, is setting us on a strong course for the future,” said Stumo. “It’s rewarding to see the results taking shape, and in the long run, this work will positively transform students’ lives.” Systemwide, preliminary census day figures show an increase in student enrollment across the state’s public higher education system. The public university, community college and technical college sectors all saw growth in headcount and full-time equivalent enrollment. Overall, the system has experienced a 2.2% increase in headcount compared to last year.
“The Kansas public higher education system has now experienced three consecutive years of fall enrollment growth,” said KBOR Chair Blake Benson. “This is an encouraging trend and a sign that our system is providing affordable and accessible educational options for families. Our colleges and universities will continue to implement promising practices that help Kansans advance their education and careers and to work with businesses to build a robust talent pipeline for our state.”
