9-6-00

Contacts:
Richard Seagrave, Interim President, (515) 294-2042
David Bousquet, Enrollment, (515) 294-2232
John McCarroll, University Relations, (515) 294-6136

ISU MAKES ENROLLMENT HISTORY

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University's fall 2000 enrollment is the highest in its history.

Iowa State enrolled 26,845 students in fall 2000, an increase of 735 over the fall 1999 enrollment of 26,110. The fall 2000 enrollment tops the previous high of 26,529 in 1985.

"Iowa State's enrollment is no accident. The continuing success of our recruiting and retention activities is due to the efforts of hundreds and hundreds of university faculty, staff and students, complemented by support of the citizens of Ames," said Richard Seagrave, Iowa State interim president. "The entire community has worked to make this the university of choice for so many students."

Fall enrollment includes 22,481 undergraduate students, which is 580 more than last year. Graduate enrollment is 4,364, which is 155 more students than fall 1999. Fall 2000 enrollment includes 4,354 freshmen, which is the highest freshmen enrollment in the university's history.

Minority enrollment for fall 2000 is 1,781, an increase over fall 1999 minority enrollment of 1,726. Minority students make up approximately 6.6 percent of Iowa State's total fall enrollment. The university enrolled a record number of Hispanic and Asian students. The freshmen minority enrollment is the second highest in the university's history.

Iowa State enrolled record numbers of National Achievement Scholars (12) and National Hispanic Scholars (24).

David Bousquet, assistant vice president for enrollment, attributed the record enrollment to increased awareness among prospective students of Iowa State programs and successes. Bousquet cited several factors contributing to Iowa State's enhanced profile.
  • Retention programs, such as learning communities and New Student Days, aimed at helping students connect with the university early in their careers. The learning communities program began in 1995 with 12 communities and 407 participants. It now has 42 communities and 1,800 participants. New Student Days was created in 1999 to help students become familiar with campus during the week prior to the beginning of the school year.
  • Enhanced student services, including on-line registration; e-awards, which enables students to find out about their financial aid electronically; and on-line financial aid information. More than 60 percent of aid applications for fall 1999 were submitted electronically.
  • Residence hall improvements.
  • The recently concluded Campaign Destiny, the university's $458 million capital campaign. The campaign raised several highly publicized gifts, and more than $100 million for new scholarships. Iowa State awarded $1.2 million more in private scholarships for fall 2000 than last year.
  • Facility improvements, including Howe Hall, the first phase in the Engineering Teaching and Research Complex, and the Palmer Human Development and Family Studies Building.
  • The quality of central campus, which was one of three university central campuses recognized in 1999 as a "medallion site" by the American Society of Landscape Architects.
  • Accomplishments of the athletic program.

"Over the past few years, several very positive things have happened at Iowa State which enhance the quality of life and education on this campus," said Seagrave. "These developments, raise the awareness of Iowa State programs and aid us immensely in student recruitment."

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Iowa State University
Fall 2000 Enrollment
Undergraduate Graduate
1999 2000 1999 2000
AG 2,888 2,758 631 626
BUS 3,400 3,556 239 265
DESIGN 1,730 1,806 120 139
EDUC 1,819 1,883 486 512
ENGR 4,494 4,604 701 772
FCS 1,092 1,129 216 228
LAS 6,080 6,351 1,111 1,092
INTER 625 645
V MED 398 394 80 85
TOTAL 21,901 22,481 4,209 4,364
Difference 580 155

All Students Off-Campus Only
1999 26,110 813
2000 26,845 971
Difference 735 158




Fall 2000 Minority Student Enrollment
(Includes both on- and off-campus students)
UNDERGRAD GRADUATE TOTAL
1999 2000 1999 2000 1999 2000
American Indian or Alaskan Native 80 80 9 8 89 88
African American 579 548 104 111 683 659
Asian or Pacific Islander 544 553 52 62 596 615
Hispanic 303 364 55 55 358 419
Total Minority* 1,506 1,545 220 236 1,726 1,781
% Minority* 6.88 6.87 5.23 5.41 6.61 6.63

(*Includes U.S. Citizens, Immigrants, Refugees and Asylees only. Does not include international students.)

UNDERGRAD GRADUATE TOTAL
1999 2000 1999 2000 1999 2000
International 1,051 1,050 1,390 1,466 2,441 2,516

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