Despite pandemic, Milligan enrollment hits new record

Published 2:12 pm Tuesday, September 15, 2020

MILLIGAN — While COVID-19 made it difficult for many colleges and universities to meet enrollment goals this year, Milligan University welcomed a record-breaking 1,347 students to campus this fall.

“Our record enrollment is certainly a number to celebrate,” said Milligan President Dr. Bill Greer. “Throughout the past several months, we prepared for the real possibility of a decrease in enrollment, a decrease that most experts in higher education expected to occur. Thanks to the hard work of every single person at Milligan, we managed to keep enrollment and finances stable.”

This year’s student enrollment surpassed Milligan’s previous record set last fall by 12 students. Last year’s record of 1,335 students marked the first time in the university’s 150-year history where student enrollment surpassed 1,300.

“We are especially thankful for the people behind our record number — our students who are preparing for lives of service and our faculty and staff who have worked especially hard over the past few months to help students achieve their goals in a safe environment,” said Greer.

This record number is bolstered by strong student retention rates, with 93% overall student retention and 81% freshman-to-sophomore retention.

The university provides several programs to ensure students succeed academically, including faculty and peer mentoring programs, free tutoring, and the Office of Student Success. These programs, coupled with a low student-to-faculty ratio, foster a community of support and meet the individual needs of students.

Milligan also welcomed an incoming class that is one of the strongest academically, attaining an average GPA of 3.76 and an ACT average of 24. Milligan’s students now represent more than 35 states and 33 countries.

Graduate students comprise 30% of total enrollment, and Milligan offers 10 master’s degrees and three doctoral programs.

In addition, Milligan continues to be recognized among the best in national college rankings for its quality and value. In U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 “Best Colleges” report released yesterday, Milligan ranked No. 18 among the “Best Regional Universities” in the South and No. 5 among the “Best Value Schools” in the same category.

To learn more about Milligan, visit www.milligan.edu.