Dear IM体育平台 Community,

We are excited to welcome new students to IM体育平台 and to greet those returning home. As I look at this new academic year, I am encouraged by the momentum our faculty and staff have created. Together, we are equipping students with grit, resiliency, and determination to be future Christian leaders in the marketplace, at home, and around the globe. I am proud of the progress we are seeing and excited for the journey ahead.

This fall, our enrollment reflects both new growth and steady strength:

• New undergraduate enrollment, including transfers, increased to 453 students, marking a 1% rise from last year.
• Graduate enrollment is up to 379 students (an increase of 1%), with our doctoral* programs rising 4%.
• Health Professions enrollment grew, along with gains in Arts & Media and Theology. There was a significant jump in incoming Business students for the First-Time Freshman cohort (17% to 24%). These increases reflect IM体育平台’s distinctive role in preparing students for high-demand fields while remaining true to our core values.
• Retention climbed to 67.1%, up from 64.9% last year, while our persistence rate is now 88.5%, exceeding the national average by 12%.
• Big Country enrollment rose by 22% for incoming first-time freshmen, strengthening our local impact and community ties.
• On-campus housing increased to 902 students, up from 868 last year, and meal plan participation rose to 757 students, up from 746.
• Students joining us this fall also reflect strong academic profiles: average SAT scores are up, and more students are in the top 25% of their class.

And, although our total enrollment slipped slightly, IM体育平台 continues to hold steady with total enrollment of 1,631 in a time when higher education nationwide is navigating demographic shifts and changing expectations. What encourages me most is that the areas we can directly influence — new student enrollment, retention, persistence, and graduation rates — are all moving in the right direction.

Because of this progress, we have strong momentum going into the fall semester. Growth in health professions and business, paired with higher persistence and retention, shows that our strategies are working. Each of us plays an important role in sustaining this progress, whether by mentoring students in the classroom, encouraging prospective families, or sharing the story of an IM体育平台 education in your communities. Together, we are building a vibrant, Christ-centered university that is steady today and positioned to thrive tomorrow.

Sincerely,
Eric I. Bruntmyer, J.D./M.B.A.
President, Hardin-Simmons University

*Editor’s note: An earlier version of this message incorrectly reported a 5% increase in master’s program enrollment due to a technical error. Enrollment in the master’s programs remains steady.