Midway University enters seventh year of increasing enrollment

For the seventh year in a row, Midway University is seeing increased growth and record enrollment numbers.The upcoming fall semester sees almost 2,000 students enrolled at the school. The incoming class of undergraduates is also the largest ever with almost 300 students. Graduate student enrollment sees yet another number of record enrollment with 238 students. 

The Lane Report spoke to Midway University’s president, Dr. John P. Marsden, about the record enrollment, and the celebratory mood everyone on campus seems to feel: “With our record incoming class, our campus vibrancy is at an all-time high. Students were excited to arrive on campus during move-in, and we celebrated with a wonderful Week of Welcome, which included numerous activities throughout the following week,” Dr. Marsden said.

Marsden also spoke on why he believes the school has seen such consistent growth, saying, “Our value proposition has led to our continued growth. We have held our tuition cost for several years in a row continuing our mission to make college affordable. Our career-focused majors lead to industry jobs, and our location in a rural, safe community with the amenities of nearby cities provides hands-on learning opportunities making us a good choice for students. Growing our international recruitment at undergraduate and graduate levels has also fueled our growth.”

Dr. Rusty Kennedy, who serves as Vice President of Admissions and Athletics, also spoke to the Lane Report about why students keep being drawn to Midway University: “With the continued years of enrollment growth we are also seeing record occupancy in our campus housing. Students want to come to Midway University and live on campus. Our athletics programs are strong and assist with our recruitment efforts as more students are looking to continue participating in the sport they love while pursuing their degree. Our graduate programs are seeing growth as many turn to advanced degrees to strengthen their career prospects. And our dual credit population continues to grow as we expand offerings and partnerships with area high schools,” Dr. Kennedy said.

Midway University offers traditional undergraduate programs as well as evening and online classes in many fields such as education, accounting, nursing, and more. The school offers graduate courses in business, education, and nursing. The school also offers dual enrollment for high school students.

In total, Midway University’s enrollment for the upcoming fall semester is 1,901 students, including evening and online students across both graduate and undergraduate programs. There are 777 students taking a traditional undergraduate path, which is an all-time high for the school. There are 238 graduate students spread over the three disciplines, which is also an all-time high. There are 473 students taking dual enrollment credits, which is an all-time high for the university, too.

The incoming class of 297 undergraduate students for the fall 2022 semester is made up of 58% male students and 41% female students, which is notable as it is the first time that men have ever outnumbered women in an incoming class at the university. 54% of students are from Kentucky, while 38% are from out of state, with 8% coming from other countries. Of the international students, 15 countries are represented.