Enrollment Records Continue to Fall at Benedictine College

ATCHISON, KS (09/26/2012)(readMedia)-- For the third consecutive year, Benedictine College has set an all-time high in undergraduate enrollment. According to the school's Office of Academic Records & Registration, the full-time undergraduate enrollment for the 2012-2013 academic year is 1,716, the highest in the 154-year history of the college. That number includes 488 incoming freshmen, also a historic high for the college.

"Our enrollment has grown more than 100% since the year 2000 and the future continues to look bright," said Stephen D. Minnis, president of Benedictine College. "Our continuing recognition as a top tier college in U.S. News & World Report as well as a leading Catholic college in First Things magazine and the Newman Guide has put our name in front of potential students on a regular basis."

The college has been expanding its facilities to keep up with the demand. In March of 2012, the new Ferrell Academic Center opened on the bluff. In addition to the new academic building, the college also completed a new residence hall in 2012. St. Michael Hall houses 155 male freshman and sophomore students. It is the ninth new residence hall opened on the Atchison campus in the past 10 years.

"There has been a real boom in building as we keep up with our growth," Minnis said. "The completion of Ferrell Academic Center has given us room to grow in classroom and office space. And as we continue to see these large freshman classes, we will continue to want to house them on campus. We are known for our sense of community and belonging and a big part of that is our residential nature."

Of the freshman class, 54% are female, 35% are athletes and 82% are Catholic. As a group, they represent 36 states, with Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska and Minnesota sending the most students. The class has the highest average ACT score in Benedictine's history (24) and the highest average grade point average in the school's history (3.4). Forty-one completed high school with a 4.0 or above and 400 of them completed high school with a 3.0 or better. One hundred twenty-two participated in the Presidential Scholarship Competition and 13 of them are in the inaugural class of the honors program. Twenty-five freshmen have also become Gregorian Fellows.

Founded in 1858, Benedictine College is a Catholic, Benedictine, residential, liberal arts college located on the bluffs above the Missouri River in Atchison, Kansas. The school is proud to have been named one of America's Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report as well as one of the top Catholic colleges in the nation by First Things magazine and the Newman Guide. It prides itself on outstanding academics, extraordinary faith life, strong athletic programs, and an exceptional sense of community and belonging. It has a mission to educate men and women within a community of faith and scholarship.