FREMONT – For the third consecutive year, Midland University is reporting record enrollment numbers.
Midland has announced a total enrollment of 1,572 students for the 2020-21 school year, increasing nearly 12% from the 2019-20 enrollment of 1,408. Midland’s enrollment represents students from 43 states and 19 countries.
“Our growth as a university is reflective of our ability to quickly pivot and adapt to the constantly changing needs of students, the marketplace, and society,” Merritt Nelson, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing, said. “It is energizing to be standing in a position of strength while pursuing innovation in higher education.”
Midland was faced with many obstacles due to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in regards to its approach to recruitment. With in-person visits no longer allowed, Midland adapted to create virtual visits that allowed prospective students to get a closer look at Midland, without leaving their home. No matter the hardship, Midland was able to navigate through to produce record numbers.
“To say there were challenges during this past recruiting cycle would be an understatement. We knew that what worked last year wouldn’t work this year,” Nelson said. “We held loosely to our traditional recruiting practices and aggressively pursued new ideas while creating innovative strategies to meet students in a way that was convenient to them. We embraced these challenges as opportunities for growth.”
Midland also enrolled a record number of freshmen this year with 370, a 16% increase over last year’s total of 318.
“We could not be more excited to welcome the largest freshman class in Midland’s 137-year history to campus this fall,” Nelson said. “Not only is this class large in numbers – but they are a high academic achieving, diverse, talented, and ambitious group of students. It will be exciting to watch them create their legacy over the next four years.”
As it continues to provide opportunities for students of varying interests, Midland has adapted to its students’ ever-changing needs with its new DRIVE academic framework, which puts the student in control of their academic future. Midland will again equip its students with free iPads and Apple pencils through its 1:1 program and the university also celebrated the opening of the state-of-the-art Miller Hall Dormitory for the 2020 fall semester.
“Our enrollment numbers speak to the commitment Midland University has made to be relentlessly relevant,” President Jody Horner said. “This is an exciting time for our university and is a validation of the strong foundation that has been built as well as the momentum we have garnered. We are excited about the direction Midland is headed.”
Midland also saw exponential growth at its Center for Graduate and Professional Studies Omaha location. Enrollment climbed to 306 students for 2020-21, a 50% increase from its 2019-20 enrollment of 205.
