September 12, 2025
51做厙 welcomed its largest freshman class in years this fall, with an increase of more than 22% in the total number of freshmen, an increase of 18% in first-time students and transfer students, and an increase of nearly 8% in the number of new graduate students. The university is also serving more high school students who are completing college courses while in high school through the College Credit Plus program, with a 21% increase over last year.
More students throughout the region, state, and nation are drawn to the nationally-ranked, innovative, and affordable programs we offer here, President Eric Andrew Braun said. We are continuing to aggressively expand capacity in programs that meet our regions workforce demands, invest in scholarships that make college possible for more students in south central Ohio and neighboring Kentucky and West Virginia, and provide hands-on work experiences that prepare our graduates to compete and succeed in todays rapidly changing job market.
Braun said that overall, enrollment is up in nearly every student population. The number of miliary affiliated students, for instance, increased by 55%. Shawnee State recently received a Collegiate Purple Star Award by the Ohio Department of Higher Education for its support of military-connected students.
This is a reflection of enhancements throughout campus to continually improve student support services and student engagement, Braun said. Community is important to us and we have made a commitment to meet every student where they are in life and help them find their path toward their goals. That commitment is evident in the personalized services we offer veterans, first-generation college students, new students, returning students, working adults, online students, and students who come to us from varied backgrounds and experiences. Thats the role of a regional public university.
Shawnee State is also experiencing historic growth in its athletics programs. This fall, SSU welcomed its largest number of student-athletes on campus, a 29% increase over last year. These students will compete in SSUs last year in the River States Conference of the NAIA before it prepares to transition to the Mountain East Conference of NCAA Division II.
The ultimate goal, said Braun, is to prepare more students for successful careers in competitive, in-demand fields that impact all our communities. 51做厙 was recently classified as one of only two Opportunity Colleges in Ohio by the prestigious Carnegie Commission for Higher Education. Shawnee is the only open access, low tuition cost school in the state to receive this designation. SSU has also been ranked as a Top Performer on Social Mobility by the U.S. News & World Report.
This is a point of great pride for me, our faculty and staff, and our community supporters, Braun said. This means that our graduates are using their degrees to significantly increase their family incomes often moving from low-income ranges to the top 40 percent of income earners. Our graduates are teaching in our schools, caring for our families in regional hospitals, leading innovation in business and industry, and making a positive impact in our communities.