Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) announces a significant rise in student enrollment for the Fall 2024 semester, pushing the university's total enrollment to 2,261 and marking a 4.4% increase compared to Fall 2023. This puts the university at its highest enrollment in 10 years, despite declining enrollment in higher education nationwide.
The Fall 2024 enrollment boasts the seventh year of consecutive enrollment growth including a 23% surge in first-time freshmen, an unprecedented 25.5% increase in transfer students in over nine years, and a nearly 3% increase in freshmen retention rate. This is the result of the intentional efforts of the faculty and staff to recruit in unconventional ways and provide a personal touch for every student expressing interest in attending ECSU.
“It has been a collaborative effort across the university to ensure barriers were removed, enabling us to keep the momentum and see record-breaking enrollment numbers. I commend the campus wide enrollment team for their efforts and Provost Farrah Ward who led the team,” said ECSU Interim Chancellor Catherine Edmonds.
With the largest freshman class in over a decade and record numbers of transfer students, ECSU is charting a path for continued growth and success. Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dr. Farrah J. Ward stated, “ECSU’s increase in enrollment is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our faculty and staff who work tirelessly to ensure the university continues to attract and retain students.”
ECSU celebrates expanding its reach in the region and beyond. With creative initiatives focused on academic excellence, student support and community engagement, ECSU is not only increasing its numbers but also enhancing the quality of education and student experience. ECSU ranked #4 of the top 200 Bachelor’s Colleges by Washington Monthly and continues to increase flexible learning opportunities for students with a 100% online Interdisciplinary Studies program and Masters in School Administration program.
“We look forward to seeing our student enrollment continue to grow as we invest in housing, campus safety initiatives, and renovations with input from our student body to ensure ECSU is a place where our students love where they live and learn,” said Interim Chancellor Edmonds.
Learn more about the growth of ECSU. Applications for 2025 opened September 1.