If you were wondering if there were exceedingly more students on Alcorn’s campus this semester then you’re not wrong. Alcorn’s recruitment and enrollment team have surpassed all expectations in the recruiting process for the Fall 2016 school term. The recruitment and enrollment team is comprised of student ambassadors and alumni whose primary task is to reach out to High School and Transfer students around the world and educate them about Alcorn State University and all that is has to offer. Because of their exceptional work, the enrollment has increased to 3,730 students who are enrolled for the Fall 2016 semester which is a major increase from the past two years. In the Fall of 2015 Alcorn welcomed 2,856 students but only 2,438 students in the Fall of 2014. The majority of the student population includes Freshmen and Transfer students. Of the 3,730 students 670 of them are Freshmen. The student body is composed of a diverse group of students from 73 counties in Mississippi, 18 countries and 34 states.
Recent availability of new scholarships and the University’s decision to completely eliminate out-of-state tuition costs have been two of the main factors in contributing to the increase in enrollment this year. Jessica Ransom, a Freshman from Dallas, Texas said it was scholarship opportunities, waived out-of-state fees and the welcoming family-like atmosphere that drew her to Alcorn. “It feels like my home away from home. The scholarship fund Alcorn has granted me will enable me to graduate college potentially debt free and for that I’m forever grateful. I look forward to my experience here at Alcorn,” she said.
Ariel Barnes, a Communications Specialist at Alcorn, is confident that Alcorn will undeniably maintain the enrollment success it’s had this year well into the future. “With the success that we have had for the Fall of 2016, I can definitely see us continuing to have larger numbers of students coming to our University. There are several ways for students to attend Alcorn and receive the education that they need to pursue the dreams and goals that they have for themselves,” Barnes states.
While the increase in enrollment is a great accomplishment, it brings along some challenges that the University must move swiftly to rectify. It has already begun to take its toll as it relates to housing accommodations. Many are inclined to believe that the larger student population will force Alcorn to take necessary measures to better accommodate each and every student.
According to Barnes, “We need more teachers, more classrooms, and more dormitories. With the success Alcorn has had these past few years, I think that this is a good time to implement these changes.”
While the new students are excited and ready to begin their academic journey here at Alcorn State they are confident that the growing population will benefit the University and its students in the long run. Jordan Freeman, a Freshman Agriculture Business major from Brookhaven, Mississippi trusts Alcorn will rise above this challenge and take the appropriate and necessary actions to implement campus improvements. “Alcorn is known for its nice and spacious campus and I think we could actually use new parking lots and dorms. It’s the small things that attract more and more students to Alcorn. The more we have the better,” said Freeman.
For more information about Alcorn’s increased enrollment contact Ariel Barnes at (601) 877-6147 or akbarnes@alcorn.edu.