The spring semester is in full swing at Northwestern College. You may be seeing more students walking around campus this semester. This is because NW is having a record-setting spring semester.
Enrollment this semester is 1,482 students, increasing from 1,406 last spring. This is the highest spring enrollment the college has seen. Even with the decline in higher education enrollment across the United States, NW is still increasing its numbers. Not only do students love NW, but there have been additions to the school that are proving to draw more students.
Tamara Fynaardt, vice president for enrollment and marketing, believes this influx is due to the new addition of programs, specifically at the master’s level.
Fynaardt said, “The success of our graduate programs is the main driver of our enrollment success as well as the strong retention we experience from enrolling students who are a good fit and then delivering on our promise of a standout campus experience”.
NW’s fall-to-spring retention rate for freshmen sits at 90.5%. This statistic shows that students who come to NW feel at home here.
NW is known for its community environment. Students Abby Noonan, Lawson Bruxvoort and Emily Erck, all mentioned how much they loved the community aspect of the college and the people on campus.
Transfer sophomore, Bruxvoort said, “I love the people I’ve meet. Everyone here has been so welcoming of me and I’ve really apricated that as I’ve started to adjust to a new school”.
Both Noonan and Erck said that their favorite part of NW is greeting people they know when walking to class. This is due to the small atmosphere and friendliness of students.
Erck said, “Everyone here takes such a wholesome interest in your day-to-day life and wellbeing. I feel so loved… I have made some of the best friendships I have ever had here.”
Along with the community aspect, students also share they love the faith integration that NW promotes unapologetically.
Noonan said, “The faith integration in the classroom along with chapel and Sunday night worship were the biggest things that attracted me to NW.”
NW continues to create an encouraging community that draws students from across the nation. They continue to culture excellence and stand out in all areas of college life.
