By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
BGSU’s investment in programs that prepare students for in-demand jobs is paying off with increased enrollment.
The university announced its official 15-day enrollment numbers this week.
The university reported an increase of 3.7 percent in its headcount, up to 19,703 students, from 18,966 in fall, 2023.
That increase was driven by a larger class of incoming students. The class of 2028 has almost 3,500 students, a 14.4% increase over last year’s incoming class. BGSU also reported it has retained a record number of students. Cecilia Castellano, vice president for enrollment management, said that the university s seeing significant increases in programs designed for filling in-demand societal needs.
The College of Health and Human Services, which houses the School of Nursing, the medical technician program, and some forensic science programs, has seen enrollment grow by 37 percent.
The aviation program has increased by 37 percent.
Also, the Schmidthorst College of Business has seen an increase of 25%, Castellano said.
With a 14% increase, she noted, there really aren’t any areas of decline.
She also credited BGSU’s focus on the student experience. That’s reflected in the 350 or so students organizations. It’s seen in the Falcon Marching Band expanding to 425 members, the second largest in the nation.
“Students are getting a quality experience not only in the classroom but outside the classroom,” she said.
There’s a synergy between the community and the campus that both students and families appreciate.
Castellano noted the Black Swamp Arts Festival that was help this past weekend and the Rally BG on Main that will be staged this weekend in downtown as examples.
Graduate enrollment has continued to decline as students who enrolled in online programs during the pandemic graduate. The business and education programs flourish as people had more time at home.
Graduate headcount is 2812 down 6.7 percent to 3014 last year. That includes declines in traditional graduate students. Castellano expects that enrollment numbers will settle closer to what they were before the pandemic, about 2,500. Still, she said, “we want it to grow.”
Because BGSU does not take race into consideration in applications, the university has not experienced the declines seen at other institutions. Those come in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court decision outlawing the use of race as a factor in admissions. Castellano said 22 percent of the incoming class are students of color. That’s up from 20% last year. Those increases are in all racial groups.
BGSU also reported that enrollment at its Firelands campus is up almost 9%.
Owens Community College numbers up as well
Owens Community College’s overall enrollment grew 5.6 percent for Fall Semester 2024, the school reported in a press release issued by Andy Woodard, assistant director of Strategic Marketing and Communications.
A total of 7,155 students were enrolled at Owens on the enrollment census headcount date. The Fall 2023 total was 6,778.
New students increased by more than 17 percent and totaled 1,669 compared to 1,419 for Fall 2023. New non-traditional learners increased by 43.3 percent (625 students compared to 436), while the population totals for new transfer students increased 7.4 percent (408 students compared to 380) and new direct from high school students increased 5.5 percent (636 students compared to 603).
The increase follows similar growth in 2023. Blake Renner, Owens vice president of enrollment management and student affairs, oversaw aa reorganization of the Student Affairs division to better assist new and continuing students.
“We are better positioned to help our students reach their goals and are now aligned with best practices nationally in higher education,” Renner said. “We are structured to support students. We have created a consistent student experience from the point of initial interest all the way to graduation.”
(Story includes information from Owens Community College’s Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications.)
