Office of Public Relations:                                           For more information, contact: Stephen E. Snyder

(229) 931-2028                                                                         (229) 931-2037 ssnyder@canes.gsw.edu

(229) 931-2072 fax

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August 27, 2010

Enrollment climbs for third straight year

On-campus residency up by 10.8%

AMERICUS--For the third consecutive year, the enrollment at Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) has reached a record high.  As of the end of the day Thursday, Aug. 26, 3153 students had enrolled, approximately 8.6 percent more students than were enrolled on the day of the final count in the fall of 2009.  This number includes both undergraduate and graduate students.

“Obviously, this is the kind of news I love to get,” said President Kendall A. Blanchard, Ph.D. “Our continued growth is more important now than ever, as we face the possibility of more budget cuts at the state level.  The extra tuition and the monies generated from residence hall rents and meal plans limit the cuts we would have to make were it not for the growth.”

It is almost certain that the final count will be less than this. Every semester some students drop out of school because they are unable to get the financial aid they anticipated, they decide to return home or transfer elsewhere. The official final numbers will be reported later in the semester. The University is confident the numbers will be between 3000 and 3100.

“We are always pleased with an enrollment increase; however, we are exceptionally pleased this year because of the large number of traditionally aged freshmen who have elected to make Southwestern their university of choice,” said Gaye Hayes, Ph.D., vice president of Enrollment Management. The University had a nine percent increase in traditionally aged freshmen.

As more students enroll in classes, more also live on campus. This fall, a record 970 students are living in Georgia Southwestern residence halls. Last year, 875 students lived on campus – representing roughly an 11 percent increase. This is an important statistic not only for GSW but for the Americus community. These 100 additional students do their shopping locally which boosts the economy.

“The increasing number of students residing on campus is a clear demonstration that our residence facilities offer the type of housing that our current generation of student prefers,” said Sam Miller, Ph.D., vice president of Student Affairs. “Those students also become quite connected to our surrounding community and enjoy the benefits of a strong ‘town and gown’ relationship. And based on the U.S. Census, students who live on campus are counted as citizens in the Americus community.”

In addition to the 3153 regular students, an additional 149 students are enrolled in the South Georgia College Entry Program located on GSW’s campus. Many of these students are living in Southwestern’s residence halls and participating in regular student activities.

Founded in 1906, Georgia Southwestern is a comprehensive, four-year member of the University System of Georgia, offering over 40 bachelor's degrees; master's degrees in business, education, computer science and English; and a specialist degree in education.

            For additional information, call (229) 931-2037 or email ssnyder@gsw.edu.

 - GSW -