Missouri S&T welcomes one of its largest and most talented classes ever
this fall. Enrollment on the first day of classes is expected to be 6,224, a 4
percent increase over last year’s figure of 5,986, says registrar Laura Stoll.
Total enrollment is 46 percent larger than the fall of 2000, when the
university opened with 4,256 students.

Missouri S&T changed its name from the University of Missouri-Rolla on
Jan. 1, 2008. The change was motivated by the institution’s desire to better
reflect its mission as a national technological research university.

“The name change was a strategic decision to help the university better
position itself for long-term success on national and global levels,” said
Chancellor John F. Carney III. “We knew the name would take some time to catch
on, but the students really seemed to have connected with it quickly.”

The new name did not adversely affect enrollment numbers. This is the eighth
consecutive year of increased enrollment, and Missouri S&T continues to
attract very talented students, says Jay Goff, dean for enrollment management.
The freshmen class is the largest in the last 20 years. The new class has
average ACT scores among the upper 10 percent in the nation, and more than
two-thirds of the new students have a high school grade point average of 3.5 or
higher.

“This is a wonderful situation. The campus is near capacity with fantastic
students,” said Goff. "This is our fourth straight record freshman class
with top-notch academic credentials.”

Enrollment this week included 1,062 freshmen, 289 new transfer students and
455 new graduate students. New undergraduate enrollment growth is up 53
percent, with women’s enrollment up 40 percent since the fall of 2000.

“We really want to thank the many faculty, staff and community leaders who
helped make arrangements to accommodate the additional students,” said Lynn
Stichnote, director of admissions. “With the new student suites in the two
Residential College halls and altering our building renovation schedules, we
did not have to use hotels and off-campus apartments this year. That is a great
feeling.”

Students will continue to enroll over the upcoming weeks. When final
enrollment figures are tallied at the end of the fourth week of classes,
university officials expect student enrollment to top 6,300.

The official fall enrollment figures will be available after the fourth week
of classes. Fall classes at Missouri S&T begin at 8 a.m. on Monday, Aug.
25.