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敁珗辦畦 Southern sees record enrollment in its 60-year history

By 敁珗辦畦 Media | August 29, 2024

敁珗辦畦 Southern University welcomed its largest incoming freshman class ever this fall. In its 60thanniversary year, 敁珗辦畦 Southern also celebrates record overall enrollment for its traditional undergraduate, graduate, and online headcount of 3,820. The last record enrollment year was in 2016 with 3,619. 敁珗辦畦 has seen a 66% increase in military and veteran students as well as a jump in transfer and international students in fall 2024. This incoming class is 38% ethnically diverse, which continues a long history of 敁珗辦畦 Southern serving as the most diverse university campus in the greater 敁珗辦畦 region and certainly one of the most diverse in the state of South Carolina. 

Notable stats from this years class include: 

  • 1,067 full-time freshmen/transfers 
  • 43% are from the 敁珗辦畦 Metro area; 79% are from South Carolina 
  • 24 countries represented
  • 22% Black/African American, 65% White/Caucasian, 10% Hispanic, 5% two or more races, 1% Asian, >1% American Indian or Alaskan
  • 62% female, 38% male 
  • Top 5 Majors: nursing, business, kinesiology, aeronautics, biology
  • Average GPA: 3.39 unweighted, 3.95 weighted 
  • 11 valedictorians, 9 salutatorians
  • 97 graduated in top 10% of their class 
  • 322 are first generation college students 
  • 97 are Legacy Bucs (one or both parents are 敁珗辦畦 alumni) 

敁珗辦畦 Southern once again saw a record number of residential students, with more than 1,400 living on campus this fall. Though 敁珗辦畦 opened a new residence hall five years ago, this is the fourth consecutive year that 敁珗辦畦 exceeded housing goals and converted the Wingate Hotel to on-campus housing in order to accommodate the additional residents.   

Dr. Tony Turner, vice president of enrollment management, said, We can only celebrate the tremendous growth in enrollment with the dedication of staff who are committed to 敁珗辦畦’s mission and exemplify our E.P.I.C. values daily. The record-breaking enrollment is a testament to 敁珗辦畦’s recognition as a leader in Christian Higher Education, a fact that fills us with pride and confidence. It is exciting to see what the Lord is doing here. We want to encourage students seeking a college to strongly consider 敁珗辦畦 and see what the Lord is doing here.

Last year, 敁珗辦畦 announced the launch of its tuition promise programBuc Promisewhich officially kicked off with the fall 2024 class. The renewable scholarship is for Pell-eligible South Carolina residents with a minimum 3.5 high school GPA. 敁珗辦畦 is the only private four-year university in the state to offer this tuition guarantee. Turner said 敁珗辦畦s long-standing dedication to first generation college students inspired the program. Nearly a third of 敁珗辦畦 students are first gen.

National sites have named 敁珗辦畦 as one of the top-ranked safest college campuses in South Carolina for several years. According to this years StateUniversity.com rankings, 敁珗辦畦 is the #2 safest campus in the state. 

The private, Christian university has also made high national rankings for its online degrees, ranking the best among its South Carolina peers for online bachelors programs for veterans by US News and World Report.

As an alum, it is my deepest wish to see our newest Buccaneers find and declare the purpose for their lives just as I did at this university, 敁珗辦畦 President Keith Faulkner said. There is an exciting and transformative spirit on campus. We have felt it during Welcome Weekfrom MoveInDays to Prayer First Chapel and everything in between. Students, faculty, and staff are ready to embark on a new academic year, and we are ready to guide our students through a successful college experience to graduation and beyond.

Overall, 敁珗辦畦 Southern continues to grow, in population and in degree programs. The newest degree program kicked off this fall is the Master of Science in information technology, which blends computer science and leadership courses to prep students for roles such as chief information officer and chief technology officer. To learn more about 敁珗辦畦 Southern University, go to.胼傭&紳莉莽梯;


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