Georgia Southern University Sets New Record for Fall Enrollment

November 17, 2010

Georgia Southern University set a new record for fall semester enrollment with 19,691 students, a 3.2 percent increase from fall 2009. The latest record continues a multi-year trend of increased enrollment and interest in Georgia Southern, one of the state’s largest and most popular universities.

“We continue to experience record levels of interest in Georgia Southern University and the credit goes to our outstanding faculty and staff who go the extra mile to make our students feel like they are more than a number,” Brooks Keel, Ph.D., president of Georgia Southern University. “When prospective students first visit campus, the look on their face is absolutely priceless. Georgia Southern is a world-class university that offers endless opportunities in one of the most ideal and iconic college settings in the country.”

Georgia Southern’s student body includes students from 49 U.S. states and from 98 different countries from around the world. The University once again set a new record for graduate enrollment. Students pursuing a master’s, specialist or doctorate degree totaled 2,647. Georgia Southern’s first Ph.D. program in Logistics and Supply Chain Management, a new Master of Science in Computer Science degree program combined with popular online and campus-based programs in education and healthcare helped drive increases in graduate enrollment.

Enrollment Equals Economic Impact

Georgia Southern’s continued increase in enrollment has translated into a major economic impact for surrounding counties, particularly the nine counties closest to the University.

According to an economic impact report released by the University this past September, Georgia Southern University had a total economic impact of $795.3 million on nine counties in southeast Georgia during the 2009-2010 fiscal year, an increase of more than 13.5 percent over the previous year.  The report also estimated that Georgia Southern students spent an estimated $301.8 million in fiscal year 2009-2010 accounting for approximately 41.3 percent of the University’s direct economic impact on the region. The study showed students spent $65.5 million on off-campus housing, $36.6 million on food services and $49.9 million on entertainment.

“An increase in enrollment has direct impact on the overall economic impact of not only Statesboro and Bulloch County, but the surrounding area as well,” said Keel.

Georgia Southern continues to be recognized nationally for its accomplishments. The University was once again featured in U.S. News & World Report America\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\’s Best Colleges and Universities and America’s Best Graduate Schools. It was also once again recognized as one of the Top 100 Best Values among Public Colleges and Universities byKiplinger\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\’s Personal Finance. The College of Business Administration was recently named one of the Best 301 Business Schools in the country byPrinceton Review and its nursing and chemistry programs continue to achieve national notoriety.

Enrollment: By the Numbers