Huntington University sees record number of enrollments

For the third year in a row, Huntington University has seen a record high number of enrolled students. For the Fall 2024 semester that number is 1,777 students, which is an increase over 1,504 students last year, and 1,428 students the year before. Huntington has been around for 127 years, and this is the first time that student enrollment has breached the 1,700 mark. Last year, the school broke the 1,500 mark for the first time.

In an article posted on Huntington University’s website, Dr. Sherliyn Emberton, who serves as the school’s president, was quoted as saying, “What an exciting moment in HU’s history. Students are joining the Forester Family from all over the world and almost every state in the U.S. This 18% growth is directly attributed to innovative programs with national reputations. We are also thrilled to see our new dual and concurrent credit initiatives to reach Indiana’s high school students nearly triple their enrollment. This targeted growth should promote more Hoosier students to pursue education at the collegiate level.”

Assistant vice president for enrollment strategy and undergraduate admissions Susie Carr was quoted, as well, saying, “This record-breaking enrollment is truly a testament to the incredible work and dedication of our admissions and enrollment teams. Our strategic efforts to connect with students both locally and nationally, particularly through targeted outreach and new initiatives, have paid off in ways we could only dream of. The success we are seeing is a direct result of the collaboration across all departments at the University. I also believe God’s faithfulness has been evident throughout this journey, and we remain committed to nurturing the academic and spiritual growth of every student who joins our Forester Family.”

Huntington University has a campus in Indiana and a campus in Peoria, Arizona. The home campus in Indiana is attended by 1,266 undergraduate students, with the remaining 242 students attending the campus in Arizona. Huntington University Arizona offers programs in graphic design, film, and animation and saw a 21% increase in enrollment over the past year. The university is encouraged by its consistent growth.

Two years ago, Huntington University started its Fort Wayne, Indiana-based Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program (or ABSN). The program is through a partnership with Parkview Health and Indiana Tech, and has increased its enrollment to nearly 60 students. The first round of graduates from the program will walk this October. 

Huntington is also seeing an increase in its veterinary nursing and animal health dual degree program, which is also in its second year. That program is through a partnership with the College of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University’s home campus in Huntington, and saw a 50% increase this year. 

Other programs that saw a rise in interest at Huntington were the nursing, film, business, animation, and agriculture programs. The university’s graduate programs also saw growth, particularly the Master of Business Administration and Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling programs. 

Assistant vice president for graduate and online programs and university marketing Jeff Berggren was quoted about these enrollment numbers, saying, “It is encouraging to see growth in Huntington’s graduate and non-traditional programs. The University has the opportunity to serve unique populations of adult students with programs such as the ABSN, the occupational therapy assistant to occupational therapy doctorate bridge, and the Master of Arts in clinical mental health counseling. The MBA has just launched two new concentrations in non-profit administration and in international agriculture, which will expand the impact of the University. The traditional Doctoral Program in Occupational Therapy (OTD program) is one of the oldest in the country and is celebrating 10 years of operation in Fort Wayne with hundreds of graduates in professional healthcare positions. Over 25% of those OTD graduates serve in the Fort Wayne region. However, the truly motivating aspect of this growth is that all our graduate and non-traditional programs reflect the Christ-centered mission of Huntington in a distinct and meaningful way.”

Students come to Huntington from 64 of the 92 counties in Indiana as well as 38 different states including Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Maine, California, and Florida, and as far away sas 32 different countries. Nearly a quarter of Huntington University’s students are classified as minorities, which is an increase for the school. 

More information about Huntington University can be found at the school’s website.