Largest Freshman Class Lead to Growth & Recognition at SUU
Published: October 12, 2016 | Read Time: 2 minutes
Southern Utah University introduced the largest class of new first-time freshman in school history this year with a total of 1,586 students. The surge of new students has increased the overall enrollment at SUU by 4.71 percent. According to the Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) annual enrollment report released this morning, Southern Utah University continues to grow at a steady rate.
"We are honored to welcome the largest freshman class in our history,” said SUU President Scott L Wyatt. “We do not admit every student that applies, so it’s exciting to see continual growth with high quality students. Our growth will continue to be steady and sustainable, preparing students for lives of meaning and productivity. It is an exceptional time to be a T-bird."
“We are thrilled with our continuous growth these last two years,” said Brandon Wright, executive director of admissions and recruitment. “Last year we had a record-breaking growth in our new in-state undergraduates. This year we have another double digit increase from Utah students. These numbers reflect what myself, my team and the SUU community already knows; SUU is the best university experience in the state. We're proud of the caliber of students that are present in our freshman class."
New first time undergraduates from Utah are up from 1432 in Fall 2015 to 1599 in Fall 2016, an increase of 11.6%. SUU’s growth supports Utah’s 66 by 2020 initiative, which calls for two-thirds of all Utah adults to hold either a college degree or technical certification by the year 2020. According to the Governor’s Education plan, higher levels of education will expand Utah’s economy and prepare students for the demands of the job market.
SUU is ahead of the University of Utah, Utah State University and Weber State University in terms of percentage growth.
Differences in enrollment numbers between USHE institutions reflect the distinct mission of each institution.
According to a press release issued by USHE, “the number of students at the state’s public universities and colleges increased by 4,739 students, for a net increase of 2.78 percent over last fall. This increase is on top of last year’s increase of 3,453 students.”Contact Information:
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