Undergraduate enrollment hits new record
This semester, USD has seen the largest enrollment class in its history, with 1,427 first-time, undergraduate students. This is a 6.4 percent increase over the 2017 incoming freshman class.
In a university news release, university president Sheila Gestring said she is thrilled to see the high enrollment numbers.
“Now, more than ever, is a great time to be a Coyote,” she said. “As we move forward, we have tremendous reason for optimism.”
Gestring said Iowa and Nebraska students contributed to the increase. Enrollment of Iowa students increased by 8.4 percent, while enrollment of Nebraska students increased by 25 percent.
“Offering resident tuition rates to incoming students from Iowa and Nebraska has been critical to our success,” Gestring said. “This is significant for South Dakota and its workforce goals, because more than 30 percent of non-resident students who attend a South Dakota public university stay in the state after graduation, making USD one of the most effective workforce recruiters.”
South Dakota enrollment rates also increased by 7.2 percent. The university also saw an increase of 13.7 percent of domestic students of color, and a slight increase of 4 additional international students.
