MGA Hits Record-High Enrollment

Author: Sheron Smith
Posted: Wednesday, October 16, 2024 12:00 AM
Categories: Pressroom | School of Health and Natural Sciences | School of Aviation | School of Education and Behavioral Sciences | Faculty/Staff | School of Business | School of Arts and Letters | School of Computing | Students

Macon, GA

Middle Georgia State University hit a record-high enrollment this fall.  

The number of students now enrolled is 8,409, a 4.6 percent increase over the same time last year. Dr. Stephen Schultheis, Middle Georgia State’s (MGA’s) vice president for Enrollment Management, cited major increases in the number of dual-enrollment and graduate-degree students, as well as higher retention rates, as among the factors leading to the record enrollment.  

“It takes a team effort to reach our highest enrollment ever,” Schultheis said. “The faculty and staff are committed to focusing on student access and success and the results of our fall enrollment demonstrate that. MGA is at a really exciting time as we have strong academic programs that are in high demand across the state.”  

Christopher Blake, Ph.D., MGA’s president, said the University’s enrollment growth is the result of a multifaceted strategic enrollment management plan that is beginning to pay dividends.  

“Our strategic focus on expanding partnerships with career academies has led to a 47 percent surge in dual enrollment, while our first-year retention rate continues its upward trend, improving by over 10 percentage points since 2020,” he said. “Our graduate programs saw a remarkable 23 percent increase, and we continue to attract increasing numbers of students from key areas like Houston and Bibb counties.  These milestones are early successes of our Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) plan, which was thoughtfully crafted by our dedicated faculty and staff to address past challenges. We remain committed to fostering academic and social engagement, and increasing access to need-based scholarships, all of which help ensure our students thrive.” 

Another key factor in the enrollment growth is that the number of students living in on-campus housing grew by more than 10 percent.  

“To see such growth in our enrollment is particularly gratifying in light of the headwinds colleges and universities have faced in student growth, including dealing with the post-pandemic landscape,” Schultheis said. “I’m proud that we’ve been able to demonstrate that MGA remains a very attractive option for prospective students to enroll in and graduate from.” 

The best value state university in the University System of Georgia, MGA serves students on campuses in Macon, Cochran, Dublin, Eastman, and Warner Robins, and online. The University offers more than 70 areas of study and degrees at the doctorate, master's, and bachelor's levels, along with select career-oriented associate's degrees and certificates. With a commitment to excellence, MGA continues to be a hub for innovation and academic achievement.