STEPHENVILLE — Tarleton State University begins fall 2020 with an all-time record enrollment, up 6.16 percent after the first week of classes with 14,096 students. The milestone comes in a year when enrollments at many colleges nationwide are expected to be down because of COVID-19.
“These are exciting times at Tarleton as more and more students see our university as a first-choice destination,” said President James Hurley. “Our outstanding faculty and dedicated staff go above and beyond every day to ensure that the students feel safe, connected and valued.”
Dr. Hurley said the institution’s move to NCAA Division I in July and the announcement of a second building on the Fort Worth campus to strengthen nationally acclaimed education and healthcare programs are positioning Tarleton as a front runner for students seeking a university education.
“It is a very bright day at Tarleton. The sky’s the limit as we continue our focus on student success and our commitment to meet the professional workforce needs of our region.”
Enrollment at the Fort Worth campus is the largest ever, beating the number of students at this time last year by 16.42 percent for a record 2,247. And the incoming freshman class is up 9.5 percent from last year at 2,282.
More records: Tarleton boasts more than 5,000 students who report an ethnicity other than white — up 6 percent over 2019 and 70 percent over 2014. Of that number, more than 3,000 are Hispanic, bringing the university closer to its goal of official recognition as an Hispanic-serving institution. The number of African American students is up 6.47 percent from fall 2020.
And for the first time, enrollment in graduate programs exceeds 2,000 — more than a 16 percent jump from last fall. Undergraduate numbers are up almost 4 percent.
“There’s one thing the experts all agree about the pandemic-impacted economy: There will be a recovery,” said Dr. Javier Garza, Tarleton’s Vice President for the Division of Enrollment Management. “We are committed to helping our students, through the pursuit of their higher education credentials, to be active participants in the recovery and not just spectators.”
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