SEMO posts modest gain in student population; international enrollment up

More is better, according to Southeast Missouri State University officials, touting a gain in total enrollment for the fall 2022 semester.

Debbie Below, vice president for enrollment management and student success at SEMO, presented census figures to the Board of Governors at its meeting last week that cited enrollment growth in key areas.

According to a release from the school, total head count at the university increased by 1% from 9,851 in fall 2021 to 9,927 this fall. She said the full-time equivalent remained flat compared to fall 2021. While those are not huge increases, Below said the numbers tell a positive story for the university.

"We can't emphasize strongly enough the competitive landscape in higher education right now," Below said in the release. "To have any increase is an enormous success."

In a separate interview, Below stated that from 2016 through 2021, Missouri lost more than 60,000 college students, or 17% of overall enrollment. She said this decline is a trend seen nationally, with many high school graduates going straight into the workforce rather than pursuing a college degree.

She stressed how important it is for SEMO to reconnect with the potential students, who have delayed or stalled their education, and provide them with ways to utilize what they've already learned on the job. She said students can apply for a prior-learning assessment for credit toward any prior training and experience they received.

As stated in the release, three areas where SEMO experienced growth were high school dual-credit programs, where enrollment increased by 16%; graduate head count, which increased 20%; and international enrollment, which grew 56%.

Below stated that while university officials were pleasantly surprised with the size of growth, it didn't happen without effort.

"In each of these areas, we made strategic decisions to invest," the release quoted Below. "Southeast adopted a new early college program model that has eased the registration process for students and families and created customized solutions for high schools in our region. In addition, we have new leadership in our early college office really focusing on partnering with our high schools to serve them and their students."

A major that saw significant increase in enrollment numbers, according to the release, was computer science, which was a draw for international students, and grew from 461 to 511 undergraduates and 289 to 540 graduate students. Below said the university's cost and safe environment make it an attractive package for international students interested in the field.

Also mentioned in the release was the professional pilot program, started in 2021, which grew from 36 to 58 students, and interest in a new program in Agribusiness: Horticulture and Cannabis, attracting 16 students in its inaugural year. The program prepares students for laboratory work in the growing industry and emphasizes the role of hemp as a biodegradable alternative to plastic.

"This innovation is yet another example of our groundbreaking academic programs that truly make Southeast a smart investment for students," Below said.

Below acknowledged there are competitive job opportunities available to students upon graduating high school. She said what the university officials want to make sure students are aware of is that with a college education their opportunities within those career fields grow exponentially. SEMO recently partnered with the Career and Technology Center, part of the public school system, for a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy.

As high school students are weighing the value of college, Below said universities have to be mindful of the role cost and schedule flexibility play in that decision, but they also have to stay focused on why students pursue an education.

"Southeast is showing we prepare students for tomorrow's careers," Below said. "Our programs are aligned with what employers want. Our majors provide students with the skills necessary to succeed in a rapidly evolving economy. And our departments are creating opportunities in emerging and high demand fields."