ADRIAN, Mich. – Siena Heights University, celebrating its 100th anniversary, welcomed a record freshman class and has nearly 1,100 first-time, transfer and returning undergraduate students on its Adrian campus this fall. Classes started on the Adrian campus Aug. 26. In addition, the university is expected to enroll nearly 750 new students this fall from its post-traditional and graduate programs.
SHU’s new class of approximately 330 freshmen includes students from 10 states and nine countries. The composite high school grade point average for incoming freshmen is 3.25, one of the strongest academic classes in recent years. In addition, SHU also had a stronger-than-projected retention rate in the College of Arts and Sciences.
“We are excited about the class we have this fall,” said SHU Vice President of Enrollment Management George Wolf. “Academically this is one of our stronger classes, and we had a great year recruiting in west Michigan and Ohio. With the addition of our new Spencer Performing Arts Center, we saw a significant increase in new arts students this year. To have a record class in our 100th anniversary year really shows the momentum we are building. I appreciate all the hard work of our admissions and enrollment staff members, as well as those who worked with them, in bringing in this class.”
“I would like to congratulate all those who helped make this record-setting incoming class possible,” said SHU President Sister Peg Albert, OP, PhD. “We are proud of our recent listing on Money Magazine’s ‘Best Colleges for Your Money’ list, not to mention our Online Program is again recognized as one of the top 30 in the nation and the best in Michigan by U.S. News and World Report. We look forward to celebrating our 100th anniversary year here at Siena Heights.”
Wolf also credited the new Siena Tuition Advantage price certainty plan. SHU locked tuition rates for full-time undergraduate students enrolled at its Adrian campus and many of its other programs for the 2019-20 academic year. The STA also features a two-year fixed pricing plan for all students in the College of Arts and Sciences, the College for Professional Studies and the Graduate College beginning next fall.
“The Siena Tuition Advantage hopefully will simplify the financial management and promote improved financial planning for our students by introducing price certainty, and we’re seeing some of that already,” Wolf said. “We also hope to improve student success, class and degree planning and degree completion rates with this new model.”
He said the addition of a Master of Nursing (MSN) program – which will enroll its first students in January 2020 – is another exciting development for the university’s Graduate College.
“Being a Dominican, Catholic university, we were looking for students who understand our mission and will also be a good fit for Siena Heights,” President Albert said. “We believe we have the right combination of affordability and academic excellence that makes Siena Heights a great value. As we celebrate our 100th anniversary, we hope prospective students would take the time to learn what ‘The Siena Effect’ is all about.”
For more information about Siena Heights University, visit www.sienaheights.edu. To inquire about enrolling on the Adrian undergraduate campus, visit go.sienaheights.edu.
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