MOBILE, Ala. – The University of Mobile enrolled its largest freshman class in seven years and residence halls are near capacity as the Fall 2022 semester gets underway at the Christ-centered university.
The university enrolled 273 first-time freshmen, making this the largest influx of new freshmen since 2015. Currently, 622 students live in residence halls the ranking site Niche rates as the #1 Best Dorms in Alabama.
In addition, UM’s new Associate Degree in Nursing program met its goal of 30 students for its first class. The five-semester nursing degree program aims to address the local and national nursing shortage by preparing nursing students to enter the workforce quickly.
New Scholarships
University of Mobile President Lonnie Burnett said new scholarships and partnerships contributed to the university’s gain in new student enrollment, an area that nationally has shown a decline.
Burnett said the university worked with donors to develop the LIFT Scholarship (Learning Investments for Tomorrow) for new students from a five-county area who have financial need. The LIFT Scholarship fills a gap between the cost of tuition and the amount covered by financial aid and scholarships.
New partnerships created this year with Infirmary Health and Springhill Medical Center provided new scholarships for School of Nursing students earning the Associate Degree in Nursing and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
“Our corporate partners and donors see the University of Mobile and the Christian higher education we offer as an excellent investment in our community. We are continuing to develop new partnerships that will expand opportunities for even more students,” Burnett said.
Charity Wittner, vice president for student affairs, said preliminary census figures show that UM mirrored national trends in some areas, while bucking trends in others.
“We went into the fall following national trends and anticipating anywhere from a 4-to-7% decline in new students. We ended up being 8% higher in new student enrollment for our traditional on-ground program,” Wittner said.
Overall, preliminary census numbers show that UM was part of a national trend as total enrollment of 1,851 for Fall 2022 fell 3% below Fall 2021’s total of 1,911. Undergraduate enrollment for online programs increased by 18%, while enrollment declined for graduate programs. Final enrollment numbers are not yet available for dual enrollment and early enrollment, but officials expect a slight decline from last year.
College Visit Days
The university is already focusing on recruiting for Fall 2023. The next UM Day for prospective students is Sept. 23, and interested students are invited to RSVP at umobile.edu/umday. Private visits are also available. For more information or to schedule a visit, go to umobile.edu/visit or call Enrollment Services at 251.442.2222.
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered university with a vision of “Higher Education for a Higher Purpose,” founded to honor God by equipping students for their future professions in an environment where they are known.
About the University of Mobile
The University of Mobile is a Christ-centered university offering on-campus and online bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in over 75 academic programs. Founded in 1961, the University of Mobile is affiliated with the Alabama Baptist State Convention and is located 10 miles north of Mobile, Alabama on a campus of over 880 acres.
For information about the University of Mobile, areas of study, admissions and more, visit umobile.edu, connect with UM on social media @univofmobile, or call Enrollment Services at 1.800.WIN.RAMS or 251.442.2222.
Kathy Dean uses her passion for storytelling and “playing with words” to share the stories of people, place and purpose that make the University of Mobile unique. As associate vice president for university communications, she manages media relations, edits the TorchLight alumni magazine, and oversees university communications. A former award-winning journalist, she is a two-time recipient of the Baptist Communicators Association grand prize for feature writing. Kathy and her husband, Chuck, live with three extremely loud miniature schnauzers.