草莓社区

Enrollment at 草莓社区 this fall set new records, including a record-high number of students who are ethnic minorities or come from other countries. The 2014-15 figures were released by the registrar鈥檚 office on Sept. 10.

A total of 1,870 students registered for class at the beginning of the fall semester 鈥� a 4.4 percent increase over last fall鈥檚 1,789. The number includes the traditional undergraduate population as well as graduate students, seminarians, working adults who are completing college degrees, and English-language students. Among the total enrollment figure are students at , Pennsylvania, and those who study online.

As for diversity, 36 percent of this fall鈥檚 undergraduate students are non-white and/or non-American. That number is up from 29 percent a year ago and 11 percent in 2002. This fall 31 percent of the undergraduate students are African-American, Hispanic, Asian and other minorities; 6 percent are international students.

鈥淓MU is now one of the most diverse liberal arts schools in Virginia,鈥� said , vice-president for enrollment. 鈥淕reater diversity will, of course, enhance the university experience for all of our students, developing their critical-thinking abilities and emotional intelligence.鈥�

The traditional undergraduate enrollment this fall of 953 is an increase of 2.2 percent from last year鈥檚 932. This is the sixth year in a row that number has increased. EMU鈥檚 incoming first-year class of 243 students is the largest since the 1990s.

Much of EMU鈥檚 enrollment growth in the last 20 years 鈥� since it took the 鈥渦niversity鈥� name 鈥� is due to the establishment of graduate programs and the . But now the increase in traditional undergraduate students is adding to the overall growth as well.

Keeping the students at EMU from year to year is also important, and this fall a high percentage re-enrolled, thanks in part to the efforts of , a former public school teacher who came to EMU last January as the university鈥檚 director of retention.

Eastern Mennonite 鈥檚 enrollment held steady this fall, with a small decrease in the total number of students to 133, but a slight increase in the full-time-equivalent number. This past summer the United Methodist Church re-approved EMS 鈥� for another four years 鈭� for the training of its pastors. The number of United Methodists at EMS increased to 30 this fall.

The other graduate programs, now numbering eight, grew 3.1 percent this fall. The total number of students is 356, compared to last year鈥檚 345.

Three debuted this year 鈥� , , and a , the latter operated with two sister Mennonite colleges, Goshen College in Indiana and Bluffton University in Ohio.

The 鈭� for working nurses, many of whom study online 鈭� is the fastest-growing graduate program at EMU. The and also added more students this fall. The and programs held steady.

Showing a decrease in numbers was the large for teachers, offered at EMU and in Pennsylvania. The decrease in teachers seeking a master鈥檚 degree may be because state governments are cutting funds to help educators continue their education, EMU officials said.

The overall number of students enrolled through EMU鈥檚 Lancaster campus in Pennsylvania increased this fall from 228 to 257. That includes teachers seeking a master鈥檚 degree in education, nurses who want to complete their undergraduate degree, and pastors and future pastors who aspire to a .

The at EMU continues to attract strong interest from international students and local immigrants. IEP prepares them for entrance into American colleges and universities. This fall鈥檚 student number is 86.