Record Incoming Freshman Class and Additional Transfer Students Spur Washburn Enrollment Growth
For the first time in a decade, Washburn is reporting enrollment growth. Newly released numbers for the current academic year show Washburn’s overall full-time equivalency (FTE) climbed by 5.5% with the university seeing a 6.1% spike and Washburn Institute of Technology (Washburn Tech) recording an increase of 2.9%.
Leading the upturn on the university campus is a record incoming freshman class of 942 students, a 20% increase in first-time freshmen as compared to a year ago. Another contributing factor is a 23% increase in transfer students.
Dr. JuliAnn Mazachek, president of Washburn University, credits several initiatives including the enhancement of merit scholarship plans for new and transfer students as well as newly created scholarship opportunities. She says they go beyond making college more affordable – they make a college education possible for those who have considered higher education financially out of reach.
“In the spring, we launched the Together We Thrive initiative in hopes of keeping more of our homegrown talent at home,” Mazachek said. “Future economic prosperity in Topeka, our region and state depend upon Washburn growing our qualified workforce, so our recruiting and retention efforts are mission critical. We believe this initiative is working and is the best investment we can make in the future.”
Scholarships, through Together We Thrive, target graduates of Shawnee County high schools and home schools. A final tally that indicates the number of Shawnee County students enrolled at Washburn this fall is still being calculated, but Washburn leadership expects that number to be higher with substantial growth potential.
In addition to more scholarship opportunities, Mazachek credits Washburn administrators, and faculty and staff members for successful navigation of and emergence from the Covid-19 pandemic saying Washburn is stronger than ever. She also praises the hard work of Washburn’s enrollment management team who worked to create and implement new opportunities while actively recruiting the next generation of Ichabods.
“The entire community of learning at Washburn is committed to helping students access educational opportunity, so it is exciting to see their efforts create enrollment growth and student success,” said Dr. Alan Bearman, vice president for strategic enrollment management and student success, Washburn University.
