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More students have made the commitment to seek a degree from ������ and launch their futures as a Golden Flash.

The university is celebrating the rise in Kent Campus enrollment for the first time in 10 years along with another strong freshman class and improved retention rates on both the Kent and Regional Campuses.

The Class of 2027 has arrived boasting strong academic success and in strong numbers (4,226 students) helping to boost the Kent Campus enrollment by more than 200 students over the previous year. 

One of the 10 largest incoming classes in the university’s 113-year history, the new Golden Flashes have arrived from 43 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Also, 88 first-year students come from 47 different countries outside of the U.S.

“These students have a lot of enthusiasm and energy, and having met many of them at our August convocation to kick off the fall semester, I’m confident they are ready to make ������ their home,” said ������ President Todd Diacon. “I wanted to extend our thanks to the entire enrollment strategy team who connected with these students and their families to share the ������ story.”

One in three students (33%) in the freshman class is a first-generation student, and nearly one in five (a record 20.1%) is underrepresented, which includes African American, Hispanic, Native American and multiracial students. 

One in seven new students is a member of the largest incoming group of new students accepted into ������’s Honors College. This program enrolls students who have demonstrated the potential for significant academic and creative ability in high school by taking rigorous coursework, such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), honors or college credit, along with other activities and leadership experiences.

Going the Distance

This fall, ������ has a total international enrollment of 2,074 on the Kent Campus, a significant increase (27.5%) over last year, with increases in international graduate students helping to propel international admissions. The number of international graduate students increased by 429 students, or 43.4%. 

Eight colleges on the Kent Campus saw an enrollment increase in international graduate student admissions, led by the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship, which enrolled 600 graduate students this year, an increase of 221 over last year, or 58.3%. Of those 600 graduate students, 339 are international students. In total, international graduate students in the Ambassador Crawford College increased by 133.8% this year. The College of Arts and Sciences saw a 39.7% increase in its international graduate student enrollment.

Welcoming More Pilots, Engineers and Business Professionals

Once again, the College of Aeronautics and Engineering (12.9%) and the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship (8.1%) saw the largest enrollment increases on the Kent Campus. The College of Aeronautics and Engineering is up 22.3% in undergraduate first-year students year over year. Total enrollment in the College of Aeronautics and Engineering is 1,288 undergraduate and graduate students, up by 147 students over 2022 enrollment.

Deborah F. Spake, Ph.D., dean of the Ambassador Crawford College, attributes this growth to a number of factors. A majority of the graduate student enrollment increase is due to the growth of the Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) degree.

“Students graduating from that program are in high demand and are accepting positions in top companies earning very competitive salaries,” Spake said. “There is a large demand for students who have gained the skills that come from the business analytics degree. The STEM-designated MSBA degree allows graduates to write modern programming software, effectively evaluate data and make management decisions – this is a highly valued skillset for business professionals.”

For undergraduate students, Spake attributes the prospect of learning in Crawford Hall, a brand new, modern business building as very appealing.

The rendering shows the south facade of Crawford Hall, the new home for the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship at ������. (Rendering courtesy of The Collaborative Inc. in partnership with Perkins + Will)

“The strength of our enrollment showcases the strength of what we offer with more than 400 majors and award-winning student support services,” said Sean Broghammer, Ph.D., ������’s vice president for enrollment management. “We know that when students and their families visit our campuses and meet fellow students and faculty, they’ll find a connection that convinces them to make the commitment and become a Golden Flash.”

Diacon continues to emphasize ������’s commitment to graduating students as evident in the Kent Campus’ graduation rate, which reached 65.9% last year, the second-highest rate since 2000.

������’s strong retention (79.7%) of returning first-year students to the Kent Campus represents a 1.2% increase and is being celebrated along with a 3.7% increase in the retention of first-year students on the university’s Regional Campuses.

Enrollment is 25,283 at the Kent Campus and reaches 33,530 when including the entire eight-campus system. Altogether, the university’s current enrollment boasts students from all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and 101 countries.

������’s eight campuses are located in Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Kent, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas.

For more information about ������, visit www.kent.edu.