Indiana State University Newsroom

Enrollment at Indiana State University has reached an all-time high of 13,584 students, surpassing the previous record of 13,533 set in 1970.

University administrators brought out Sycamore Sam and a contingent of the Marching Sycamores and cheerleaders Thursday to help celebrate the announcement of the figures at a board of trustees meeting. Fall enrollment shows an increase of more than 400 students, or 3 percent, from last year and marks the eighth straight year of growth. About 30 percent more students are enrolled at Indiana State this fall than in fall 2008.

"It's incredibly exciting to see our enrollment continue to grow. It's even more heartening now that we have exceeded our all-time high," said university President Dan Bradley.

"Growing enrollment is part of our strategic plan and we are very pleased with these results," said David Campbell, board of trustees' chair.

For the sixth straight year, the number of new freshmen also set a record at 2,784, an increase of 1.6 percent from 2014. More than 2,400 of those students, 89 percent of the class, are from Indiana, an increase of 76 in-state students over last year. Among all undergraduates, 8,880 are Indiana residents, an increase of 320.

Among this year's new freshmen, 89 percent are regularly admitted with an average high school grade point average of 3.15 on a 4.0 scale. Indiana State welcomed 234 new honors students this fall, bringing the total number to 896.

"Thanks to the hard work this past year by countless staff and faculty, we achieved our freshman class target for fall," said John Beacon, senior vice president for enrollment management, marketing and communications. "Appropriately, Indiana State University launches its sesquicentennial celebration with the largest total student enrollment in its long history of serving the citizens of Indiana. This is a proud moment for all of us."

Other highlights include:

• 791 transfer students, an increase of 88 from 2014

• 321 transfer students are online learners with 146 of those from Marion County

• Graduate student enrollment is 2,327, an increase of 25 and also a new record.

• 1,057 international students are enrolled, 747 at the undergraduate level (an increase of 6) and 310 at the graduate level (46 fewer than last year and the only area where enrollment decreased).

University officials said the enrollment report shows Indiana State is on track to achieve its strategic goal of 14,000 students by fall 2017.

Photo: https://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Events/Events-by-Year/2015/Record-Enrollment-Announcement/i-Vt9k5cF/0/X3/08_27_15_enrollment_announcement-6586-X3.jpg- Sycamore Sam helps Indiana State University trustees and administrators celebrate a record enrollment of 13,584 Aug. 27, 2015. (ISU/Tony Campbell)

Photo: https://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Events/Events-by-Year/2015/Record-Enrollment-Announcement/i-QxxXkHG/0/X3/08_27_15_enrollment_announcement-6529-X3.jpg - Members of the Indiana State University Marching Sycamores play the school's fight song Aug. 27, 2015 to celebrate an all-time record enrollment of 13,584 students. (ISU/Tony Campbell)

Contact: John Beacon, senior vice president for enrollment management, marketing and communications, Indiana State University, 812-237-3560 or john.beacon@indstate.edu

Writer: Dave Taylor, media relations director, Office of Communications and Marketing, 812-237-3743 or dave.taylor@indstate.edu