The official fall 2021 enrollment at Missouri University of Science and Technology, recorded at the end of the semester’s fourth week, includes a record percentage of underrepresented minorities. Underrepresented minority students make up 12.3% of the first-year-student enrollment, which is an all-time high. 

Missouri S&T’s enrollment total also includes 1,188 first-year students, an increase of 6.5% over the previous year’s total of 1,111. The growth is due in part to the establishment of the Kummer Vanguard Scholarship program, which provides $1,000 to $3,000 in scholarship funds for first-year students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields. Approximately 460 Kummer Vanguard Scholars are enrolled in fall 2021. The Kummer Vanguard Scholars program is supported through the Kummer Institute for Student Success, Research and Economic Development, which was established last fall through a $300 million gift from the late Fred Kummer, a 1955 S&T graduate, and his wife, June.

The number of out-of-state students continues to grow, with 1,951 students attending from outside Missouri. S&T saw growth in Missouri enrollment as well, reversing a trend that had been declining since 2016. The total enrollment includes students from 48 states and 65 foreign countries.

“A Missouri S&T education prepares our students to seek out and develop solutions to the great challenges facing our society,” says Shobi Sivadasan, vice provost of enrollment management. “The more that we are able to bring together individuals of diverse backgrounds, the better able we are to prepare them for a diverse global work force.”

New graduate student enrollment totaled 583, an increase of 76% over last year’s total. That total includes 10 Kummer Innovation and Entrepreneurship Doctoral Fellows. The new program, which is supported through the Kummer Institute, provides 12-month stipends and tuition remission for up to four years for qualified doctoral students.Missouri S&T’s official fall 2021 enrollment is 7,245, a 5.2% decrease from last fall’s official total of 7,645. Classes started at Missouri S&T on Aug. 23.