Sept. 1, 2010

Enrollment holding steady at Dakota Wesleyan

MITCHELL — Dakota Wesleyan’s campus came alive last week as students returned to classrooms and milled about sidewalks hailing down old friends and carrying new books.

Enrollment for this year is 774, compared to last year’s 769. DWU had 294 new students this fall, with 176 freshmen.

Enrollment has held steady and even increased in the last 10 years when there were 692 students on campus. It dropped down to a low of 681 in 2004 but bounced back to 783 the following year. The all-time high was 788 in 2007. The graduate program was added in 2004, which also contributed to the steady growth in numbers. This year there are total of 26 graduate students.

“Students continue to see a four-year college degree as one of their greatest assets. That diploma isn’t just a sign of achievement, but a key to opening doors of opportunity, increasing odds for promotions and expanding more than just basic intellect, but also each student’s experience base,” said Amy Novak, DWU provost and executive vice president. “I think students have come to find that DWU offers all these things. Our three colleges offer multiple majors, internships and personal connections to faculty. Students are coming back for a reason.”

Seventy-seven percent of the total student body comes from South Dakota, with 23 percent from other states, mainly California and Minnesota. There are also seven international students from Canada, Ireland, Kenya, the United Kingdom and Venezuela.

Last year, more students wanted to live on campus than DWU had beds for, which led to transforming the Grandy Alumni House into housing for 11 male students.

This year, every college’s favorite problem has returned. To counter the demand for campus housing, DWU converted the Psi Cottage, which previously held the psychology department, and also purchased a home across from campus to turn into housing. Collectively, 39 students live in campus houses, and 341 students live on campus in residents halls and the apartments. There are actually still openings available this year, which will fluctuate after the first several weeks of school when the majority of drop-and-add’s are complete.

“There have been a few changes on campus this summer with housing expansions and a significant renovation for the music department. Also, the Weston Food Court saw a makeover in the dining hall, as well as a total kitchen renovation,” Novak said. “It made for a long summer of construction but now that it is all in place, it’s exciting to see the results.”

The academic profile of students has also held steady with the average freshman ACT at 21.7, and the average GPA being 3.2.