TC enrollment sets record again

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 25 September 2012 13:51

Enrollment growth at Tabor College set a new record for the fifth consecutive year with 768 students enrolled at the Hills­boro and Wichita campuses.

Both campuses experienced growth for the 2012 school year. The Hillsboro campus has 613 students taking classes and Tabor College Wichita has 155 students enrolled, including graduate and undergraduate students.

TCW has experienced a 27 percent increase from the 2011 enrollment, according to registrar Deanne Duerksen, who released the figures following the 20th day of classes.

This is the largest enrollment for the Marion County campus and the Wichita campus in history. The next highest enrollment benchmark for the Hills­boro campus was set in 1974. According to Duerksen, the overall head count is up nearly 5 percent from 2011.

Tabor College President Jules Glanzer was pleased with the announcement.

“It is a blessing and a reminder of the responsibility that comes with accepting the challenge of providing a high-quality educational experience for these young people,” he noted.

“For the past five years, more and more students have sought out Tabor College, both in Hillsboro and in Wichita, because of the rich learning environment in a decidedly Christian atmosphere.

“It is a joy interacting with these students and watching the grace of God transforms lives.”

On the Hillsboro campus, 279 students are from Kansas, with 32 other states represented as well as 17 international students representing six countries.

Beyond Kansas, the top four states sending students to Tabor include Oklahoma, Colorado, Texas and California.

Rusty Allen, vice president for enrollment management and intercollegiate athletics, said the record enrollment was the result of many hours by a dedicated team of admissions counselors, coaches and administrators who are passionate about the Tabor College mission, and have been able to share that message effectively with prospective students.

“Our team firmly believes in what we do at Tabor College and the transformation that happens here,” Allen said. “We are excited to have 613 young people at our Hillsboro institution to shape, transform, educate and send out to make a real difference in the world.”

Glanzer agreed it was a concerted effort to make the numbers a reality.

“Recruitment is everyone’s business—faculty, staff, student life and facilities— everyone has played an important part,” he said.