LEWISTON, Idaho – While many institutions across the nation are facing continued downward trends in enrollment, Lewis-Clark State College’s overall headcount is on the rise, according to the college’s official Oct. 15 census day report.
With 3,748 students enrolled this fall, LC State is up 1.7 percent from last fall’s total of 3,684. It’s the highest headcount the four-year institution has seen since 3,924 students attended in fall 2016.
“While we’re excited to see enrollment headed in the right direction, we know that there is much more work to be done,” said President Cynthia Pemberton, who is now in her second year at LC State. “From caring staff and incredible faculty, to affordability, to our unmatched focus on students, outcomes, and experiential learning, Lewis-Clark State College has so much to offer students and we look forward to continuing to find ways to spread the word, build our partnerships, and further strengthen Idaho’s pipeline for degree completion.”
Reasons for the uptick include a 27.5 percent increase in new students, including a surge in dual credit enrollment. Additionally, the number of students coming directly from high school is up 5.5 percent, and transfer students are up over 30 percent.
“President Pemberton’s renewed focus on enrollment has begun to pay dividends,” Vice President for Student Affairs Andy Hanson said. “Our success this fall reflects the collective effort of our faculty, staff, and student body. We have more work to do but are delighted by these early signs of a growing enrollment.”
Other enrollment highlights include a 53 percent increase in Native American enrollment, as well as increases of 11 percent in minority enrollment, 5.5 percent in Career & Technical Education programs, and a 13.4 percent uptick in social sciences enrollment.
LC State's number of first-generation students also remained high at 76 percent of the student body, while full-time enrollment remained steady, down just 1.3 percent or about 35 students from last fall.
President Pemberton shared enrollment totals from the census day report among other highlights, including a rise in the school's graduation and retention rates, during her institutional progress report to the Idaho State Board of Education on Wednesday morning.