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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (Feb. 14, 2005) — Milligan College established a new spring enrollment record this semester, with a total of 894 students. With nearly 100 additional students over spring 2004, headcount enrollment at the Christian liberal arts college is up almost 12 percent compared to a year ago.
The college’s graduate programs are growing and retention is also very positive, reports David Mee, vice president for enrollment management. The Milligan MBA now has three cohorts in progress, and the occupational therapy program has seen a boost in enrollment thanks to a job market turnaround in the healthcare industry for occupational therapists.
“The retention of fall 2004 freshmen to spring 2005 stands at 91 percent, compared to 87 percent a year ago,” reports Mee. “These are both very strong numbers—well above national averages—and something that has been an intentional and collaborative effort by our campus. We’re serious about serving our students.”
The solid spring enrollment comes on the heels of a near-record enrollment last fall.
“More new students are coming to campus, but more importantly they are liking their college experience and are staying through to their graduation,” said Milligan President Donald R. Jeanes.
Mee reports that the college has placed increased emphasis in recent years on retention and student success programming, with solid success. Overall spring-to-fall retention of sophomores, juniors and seniors for fall 2004 was 90.6 percent, a college record and well-above the national average.
“Milligan has worked very hard at not only attracting and enrolling students, but delivering a quality education, helping them continue to afford that education, and ensuring that they graduate not only with a diploma but with an experience and knowledge-base that will serve them for life,” said Jeanes.
“Our growth is a culmination of about three years of reengineering the way we approach student recruitment, admission, retention, marketing and other key areas. Milligan has long been an outstanding liberal arts college – we are now working harder at finding more effective ways to share our mission with a broader audience,” says Mee.
Milligan’s student body represents 32 states and 10 foreign countries, with 51 percent from Tennessee. Indiana, Virginia, Ohio, Florida and North Carolina make up another 28 percent.