Marywood University welcomed its largest freshman class on Aug. 20. The campus welcomed over 500 new students, a major milestone for the university and the community.
Rachel Hartz, vice president of enrollment, accounts the growth to the university’s increased marketing efforts over the past year. She attributed the expansion to showcasing the campus’ beauty and sense of community, as well as emphasizing its hands-on learning opportunities.
“Marywood has been a best-kept secret,” Hartz said.
The incoming class shows notable growth in the Architecture and Nursing programs. Students hail from across neighboring states, with a majority from New York and New Jersey, as well as a strong presence of local students. Hartz also praised the rise in first-generation students and overall diversity, saying this aligns with Marywood’s mission of “being welcoming and supportive while helping students achieve their potential.”
While this growth is a major milestone for the university, there is also a major threat being posed with the higher education enrollment cliff beginning next year. This demographic cliff has affected many institutions across the state already. Lisa Lori, president of Marywood University, says that she plans to continue the growth by “doing what we do and making it even better.”
The enrollment cliff has been something that researchers have anticipated for years. The cliff “has been predicted ever since Americans started having fewer babies at the advent of the Great Recession around the end of 2007” according to NPR. There has not been an increase in the birth rate since this time other than during the pandemic. This has put many universities across the country, including a handful of institutions in northeastern Pennsylvania, in jeopardy.
Lori is confident that the evolution of areas such as Main Street Marywood and potentially adding new programs will continue to draw students to the campus. This aligns with Lori’s goal of “ensuring that we are serving and thriving for future generations of students.”
However, the growth of the university does not stop here, as Lori mentions potential growth outside of Pennsylvania. The university is looking to expand its global presence by creating partnerships around the world.
“We currently have students enrolled remotely from around the world,” Lori said. “But we are looking to expand with a physical campus in Egypt.”
Although Lori is proud of this year’s achievement, she makes sure to not fall short when it comes to returning students. She emphasizes the addition of new dining options, growth of the Student Success department and Office of Disabilities, along with the addition of collaborative spaces for those returning to campus.
Not only has this milestone been beneficial for the campus community, but also for the surrounding communities. The growth offers more students to get involved in the community, contributing community service and students looking for internships in the area.
Hartz and Lori credited the success to collaboration across departments, especially Admissions and Marketing, which helped turn Marywood’s vision into reality. As the university looks ahead, the challenge will be sustaining this momentum in the face of shifting demographics and increased competition.
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