CHARLESTON, Ill. (WAND) – Freshman enrollment at Eastern Illinois University jumped by close to 25 percent in fall 2018.
University leaders say the increase showed in the school’s 10th-day numbers, which compared new students in fall 2018 to fall 2017. EIU had a total of 7,526 total students on campus at the start of the semester – a fall-to-fall increase of over 7 percent.
The school says it took a “fresh (and) aggressive” approach to admissions and marketing and made changes to its academic programs. EIU launched a Vitalization Project in recent years to counter the two-year budget impasse in Illinois.
“We knew for some time we would see a tremendous increase in our first-time freshmen enrollment this fall,” said Josh Norman, EIU’s associate vice president of enrollment management. “We anticipated growth in other key areas as well, which we’re pleased our official 10th-day numbers have confirmed.”
Numbers showed the university’s graduate enrollment had reached its highest level in eight years. EIU has international students on campus from 52 countries, which the school says is a record.
EIU also watched spring-to-spring enrollment rise by 5 percent in January. The school credits six new undergraduate programs and another six new graduate programs for helping with spring growth, along with high-school dual-credit partnerships. There are seven new programs in the school’s 2018 fall curriculum.
“Our students, their families, and our community partners understand and appreciate the quality and value of the Eastern Illinois University experience,” said EIU President Dr. David Glassman. “Such a considerable increase to EIU’s freshmen enrollment speaks to EIU’s excellent reputation, as well as to the profound talent and collaboration of our entire EIU team in realizing this remarkable achievement.”
EIU says the large freshman class helps counter a “smaller pool” of Illinois high school seniors and a high total of university graduates.
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