TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology begins its 2020-21 academic term with its largest class of incoming students in three years, one that is in the top 5% nationally for high SAT and ACT scores.
Classes began today for 547 first-year students.
Such growth is particularly encouraging for the school given the current COVID-19 pandemic climate — 90% of the incoming class made their decisions to attend the school after the nationwide quarantine began in mid-March. Newcomers also boast an expansion of student diversity, with a record number of African American, Hispanic and Asian students, an increase in female enrollment of 20% and an aggregate of students from 38 states and eight countries.
It’s the second-largest female class (145 students) in the institute’s history, a 20% increase over last year, and 33% of the students are students of color.
“We continue to take major steps forward in meeting our strategic enrollment goals to recruit, educate and graduate high-achieving students who covet the world’s best undergraduate STEM education that’s aligned within our mission of personal attention and support,” says Rose-Hulman President Robert A. Coons. “I’m most pleased that we were able to take these strides and recruit such a diverse student body within a challenging environment, impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing market competition.”
“We quickly adapted our recruitment strategies to meet students where they were,” says Tom Bear, vice president for enrollment management. “We added virtual tours, visits, videos and other online services as part of our outreach. It was a team effort between faculty, alumni, coaches, current students and staff to reach prospective students and make this a successful year.”
Also helping attract this year’s and future talented classes is the new Noblitt Scholars program, announced recently through a $10 million donation by alumnus/Board of Trustees chair Niles Noblitt and his wife, Nancy.
