MUW Enrollment Holds Course

COLUMBUS, Miss. — Having graduated its highest-ever number of students in the previous year, Mississippi University for Women this fall is enrolling approximately the same number of students it did in 2014. Fall 2015 enrollment is 2,676, down 20 students, or less than 1 percent, from a year earlier.

More than 860 graduated in the previous academic year, a record for the institution. “We are successfully helping students earn their degrees, saving them both time and resources invested in their education,” said President Jim Borsig. “Completion is an important goal for us in educating our students, and The W is excelling at that goal.”

“Students continue to seek our unique educational experience, which provides small class sizes and personalized instruction,” Borsig said.  “We will continue to focus on quality instruction that leads to successful completion.”

In other student characteristics:

–81 percent are female

–19 percent are male

–36 percent are African-American

–66 percent of W students are 25 or older

Over the past five years, Borsig said The W has shown impressive gains in the numbers of students completing their degrees.

“We have seen a 50 percent increase in the number of degrees conferred from 2010-15.” Equally impressive, he said, the number of degrees conferred to African-American students has grown by 71 percent, and those conferred to male students by 48 percent. “We are serving a student body that reflects the demographics of our state.”

Borsig said The W also is providing highly qualified nurses who help meet the healthcare needs of Mississippi.  Since 2010, The W has seen a 322 percent growth in the number of bachelor of science nursing degrees conferred. The university has awarded 1,385 BSN degrees in that period.