SRU programs increase enrollment
Slippery Rock University has increased its enrollment numbers for the coming fall, and new health and technology programs could be the reason.
According to Amanda Yale, chief enrollment management officer at the university, there have been 28 academic programs for undergraduate and graduate students added in the last eight years.
“We want to be highly market driven for our students,” Yale said. “The Pittsburgh market is health and tech oriented. There’s lots of hospitals and lots of jobs for those with grad and undergrad degrees.”
The Fall 2022 semester will see nearly 1,600 students, which is similar to the 2020 graduating class numbers. According to Yale, there was a 4% decline in undergraduate enrollment for the Fall 2021 term but a 4% increase for graduate admissions.
Yale said SRU’s most popular undergraduate majors are in the health department, making up to 48% of the incoming freshman class. The physician’s assistant and occupational therapy majors were added about four years ago.
The newest undergraduate majors of civil, mechanical and petroleum and natural gas engineering were added four years ago.
“Engineering is a whole new vertical for students,” Yale said. “There are so many programs for them to choose from.”
Steven Wei, professor and program director of engineering, said students coming into the program are intrigued by the hands-on experiences offered in the engineering majors.
“The program prepares them to be successful, the curriculum we offer is better than any other,” Wei said. “And the faculty-to-student interaction, there’s not much opportunity for that at other institutions.”
According to Wei, students often join the workforce immediately after receiving their degree. He said students find careers in manufacturing, design, government, construction, or the oil and gas industry, and often have internships in those fields.
“Most of our students have one internship at least, some are paid,” Wei said. “Pittsburgh is a huge industrial base, and there’s an abundance of opportunities locally for students to apply to.”
Other opportunities within both programs contribute to their institutional value, Yale said.
“Clinical and shadow experiences and support for the direction (students) may be going in are compelling,” Yale said. “The faculty are incredible. People have positive comments about the learning experiences in and out of the classroom.”
Yale said the university is always researching what jobs are needed within the region to determine what programs should be added to SRU’s repertoire.
“As we add and change programs, they need to meet the market demand,” Yale said. “We’re always asking how an institution becomes viable and sustains over time.”
Yale said the new programs have added to the university in a few ways.
“They create an opportunity to sustain and grow enrollment and meet market needs in jobs,” she said.
