by ALEXANDRA RETTER
Marking the third straight year of growth, enrollment continued to rise at Winona State University (WSU) this fall. WSU was among a small handful of Minnesota State institutions where enrollment increased. At Saint Mary’s University (SMU), enrollment rose for the second year in a row. Enrollment declined at Minnesota State College Southeast.
Enrollment increases again at WSU
At WSU, undergraduate enrollment increased between last fall and this fall by 415 students, rising to 5,865 students from 5,450. WSU was one of only two universities in the Minnesota State System where enrollment grew this fall. “I believe our enrollment growth reflects the confidence students and families have in Winona State,” WSU President Ken Janz said. “They're choosing us because of our strong academic programs, the personal attention they receive from faculty and staff, and the opportunities available to them after graduation.” He cited university leaders’ work to collaborate with high schools on concurrent courses, or college-level courses taught in high schools, to inspire students to take college classes, as well as leaders’ efforts to bring in a greater number of freshmen, and increase the number of students the university retains from year to year. “We've worked hard over the past several years to put Winona State on a stronger path forward. There's still plenty of work to do, but these results tell me we're moving in the right direction,” he said.
In the hopes of continuing this growth, university leaders will continue to prioritize increasing the number of students WSU retains, Janz said, and focus on improving academic advising and strengthening programs that help foster a sense of belonging among students. Additionally, university leaders would like to keep developing more opportunities for transfer students, graduate students, adult learners, and students who start to earn college credit in high school, he said, adding that collaborating with Rochester Community and Technical College to create clear pathways to earn degrees is part of that effort.
Enrollment grows at SMU
At SMU, enrollment grew by 49 students between last fall and this fall, increasing to 892 students from 843 students.
Vice President of Enrollment Management Michael McMahon said a new major, mechatronics engineering, brought in students. The Cardinal Pledge program, which helps qualifying students repay student loans, and the Cardinal Promise program and Catholic Educator Promise scholarship, which help qualifying students cover tuition costs, also contributed to the enrollment growth, he said. “… There’s increasing … attention to the cost of higher education, and I think St. Mary’s has responded by helping students to know that a private, faith-based education at St. Mary’s is accessible to them,” he said. “And I think we’re seeing more and more students come and check us out with that confidence and then realizing it’s true; it’s a possibility for them — when before, they might not’ve believed it.” Moreover, university officials worked to increase the number of students the university retained from year to year, he said. He also cited university leaders’ work to create pathways from SMU undergraduate courses to graduate programs at SMU and other organizations. For Senior Director of Admissions Tim Gossen, highlighting the university’s campus, including its streams, trails, and dorms, helped inspire some students to attend SMU. “And that’s a really, I think, important piece, that students are happy inside and outside the classroom, that they want to live in a beautiful environment and have nice facilities, as well,” he said.
To try to maintain that growth, university leaders will continue to let high school staff members, such as counselors, know about SMU and invite them on campus tours so they can also tell their high school students about the university, Gossen said.
Enrollment down at Southeast
Enrollment decreased by 45 students at Southeast between last fall and this fall, declining from 2,949 students to 2,904.
College leaders will continue to improve services that provide help for students, Associate Dean of Enrollment Management Turner Berg said, such as food pantries and counseling. They will also keep collaborating with four-year colleges, such as WSU, to make clear, accessible pathways for students wanting to transfer from Southeast, he said. “We really work to have that synergy and say, ‘What are our students saying to you when they get there? What are we hearing from our students that they need from Winona State?’ And how can we build those really nice bridges so students know exactly the credits they need to take and can have that seamless transition?” he said. College officials will continue to highlight the Winona Opportunity Program and Red Wing Promise Program, as well, he continued, which offer free tuition for local high school graduates and serve about 150 students per year. Overall, college leaders would like to continue collaborating with local schools, he said, to help students understand from a young age what a particular career, such as bio tech engineering or mechatronics, would look like on a day-to-day basis and what they would study to get there.