Augustana welcomes second largest group of new students
Augustana first-year and transfer students enjoyed a full week of Welcome Week activities after moving into campus on Sept. 1. This included a Celebration Belle riverboat cruise on Sept. 3, featuring music, dancing, comedy and refreshments.
First-year Augustana College students form the letter A at Ericsson Field at Charles D. Lindberg Stadium on Sept. 1. First-year students moved in that day and immediately began Welcome Week – a schedule packed with activities for students to get to know each other and Augustana's campus.
More than 240 faculty, staff and returning students rolled up their sleeves to assist first-year and transfer students with move-in day on Sept. 1. Many of the college's international students, student-athletes and students taking part in Augustana’s PACE Multicultural Mentorship Program moved to campus in August.
New students gathered at Welcome Week kick-off at Carver Center, where they met their first-year or transfer mentor and got acquainted with other students.
Augustana College welcomed 790 new students this fall, including 723 first-year students and 67 transfer students.
This year’s class was selected from a record pool of 8,217 applications, and admitted students are from 22 states and 32 countries. This is Augustana’s largest enrollment since fall 2019 and marks a clear and convincing rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to executive vice president and chief enrollment officer Kent Barnds.
Student Government Association President Rachel Nandelenga speaks to first-year students and their parents at convocation on Sept. 1. Students gathered at convocation after moving into residence halls and before beginning Welcome Week activities.
Augustana’s fall enrollment count includes 2,480 students — including 2,442 undergraduate students and 38 graduate students enrolled in the college’s speech, language and pathology master’s program. Augustana saw a nearly 2% increase in retention this year compared to last year.
Barnds said this is the fourth largest group of first-year students in Augustana’s 163-year history, and it is the college’s second largest class when you combine first-year and transfer students. The Class of 2027 includes 574 U.S. and 149 international students.
“This also represents a more than 23% increase in new student enrollment over the last year,” he said. “We proudly welcome this new class of Augustana Vikings, and we’re excited to see them begin their journey of engaging in our top-notch academic programs and more than 150 student activities.”
Barnds said this is the college’s largest group of transfer students since 2008.
Transfer students come to Augustana from a variety of backgrounds, including through Augustana Next agreements which pave the way for community college students to dual enroll and benefit from the support of an Augustana academic advisor; an Augustana professor from their desired major to discuss course choices, topics and opportunities; and the ability to enroll in any two Augustana courses for a reduced fee — while attending their community college.
President Andrea Talentino said the Class of 2027 is the first to benefit from Augustana Possible, with 177 first-year students receiving grants from the innovative financial aid program for high-achieving students from families with lower incomes.
"Augustana Possible awards drew students from 10 states, and we more than doubled the number of recipients from the original projections,” President Talentino said. “This grant is opening doors to deserving students who may not have previously believed a high-quality college was accessible to them, and the Augustana education they earn here will be life-changing.”
Contact:
Nicole Lauer, 309-794-7645; nicolelauer@augustana.edu