Today@Sam Article
SHSU Sees Continued Enrollment Growth
Nov. 12, 2020
SHSU Media Contact: Emily Binetti
As many universities across the nation braced for enrollment declines due to the pandemic and economic downturn, Sam Houston State University has continued to grow. For the fall 2020 semester, SHSU welcomed 21,918 new and returning students – a 1.66 percent increase compared to last year’s fall semester.
“I am proud of our university faculty, staff and administrators who went to great lengths to prepare for a new (and somewhat different) fall semester,” SHSU President Alisa White said. “Our continued growth is a testament to their dedication and hard work to serve the best interests of our students despite the challenges faced this semester due to the pandemic.”
One contributing factor to the enrollment increase was the addition of medical students. This semester, the SHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine officially launched their first class, enlisting 75 students to address the physician workforce shortage in Texas.
With 55 master’s degree programs and 10 doctoral programs, SHSU has expanded its reach with adult learners. The university’s first-time graduate student population saw growth this semester with a 22 percent increase.
The latest enrollment report also shows that 4,446 SHSU students are learning online exclusively for the fall 2020 semester – an increase of 21 percent compared to fall 2019. That figure does not include students who transitioned to remote or hybrid learning due to the pandemic. At present, the university offers 56 online degree programs.
The latest data also show that 75 percent of SHSU students have a job and work while enrolled in school and 40 percent of the current student population report being First Generation students, meaning the first in their family to attend a four-year college or university to attain a bachelor’s degree.
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