Southwestern College’s enrollment has set a record this year, with an official count of  1,823 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled on the Winfield campus and in professional studies programs. Professional studies classes are offered in Wichita, Junction City, Midwest City (Okla.), and online.

This “head-count” (a snapshot of the 20th day of classes) includes both undergraduate and graduate students. Last year’s fall head-count was 1,703. The class of incoming freshman was especially strong – at 159, it is 15 per cent over last fall’s 138.

College president Dick Merriman attributes the college’s growth – its enrollment has doubled in the past 10 years – to the college’s ability to understand and address the needs of distinctive student populations.  “Residential students on our main campus want a learning experience that is very different from that desired by working adults who are completing degrees on a part-time basis and at a distance.  As the college’s people have listened, learned, and responded, we’ve grown,” Merriman says.  

Also measured in the federal government’s official 20th day counts are number of “full-time equivalent” (FTE) students. This number is calculated by dividing the total credit hours taken by 15 (a full-time class load).

The residential Winfield campus posted an FTE of 589, with 318 FTE in professional studies on-ground and online.  (Professional studies programs are designed for working adults, and most learners in these programs are part-time students.) This total FTE of 907 is nearly 18 per cent higher than last year’s total of 770.