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News Release
BOISE STATE NEWS RELEASE / September 13, 2007
Boise State Enrollment Reaches 19,540 Setting State Record
Again; 3.5 Percent Increase is School's Largest in 4 Years
Further evidence of Boise State’s growing stature as one of the top public
institutions of higher education in the Northwest is reflected in both the
quantity and quality of the fall 2007 enrollment figures released by the
university this week.
For the 10th time in the last 11 years, Boise State has set an all-time
record for Idaho higher education institutions with an enrollment of 19,540
— an overall increase of 3.5 percent from last year’s head count of 18,876.
The impressive increase of 644 students this fall marks not only the first
time an Idaho school has surpassed the 19,000 mark, but also Boise State’s
largest enrollment gain in four years during more than a decade of managed
growth.
Equally important, says Boise State President Bob Kustra, is the fact the
university is attracting not only more students, but also better students —
a trend that is borne out in the profile of the incoming freshman class.
Kustra notes that while the freshman class of 2,280 is a record, it is also
one of the most academically talented groups to enter Boise State as
indicated by:
• The addition of 12 National Merit finalists (an increase of 300 percent
over last year) who received a renewable full tuition scholarship and an
annual $2,500 stipend.
• An inaugural class of 28 Presidential Civic Leadership Scholars —
recipients of a new scholarship award ranging from $1,500 to full tuition
and fees renewable for four years offered to high-achieving Idaho residents
who have experience in and a commitment to civic leadership.
• The recognition of 33 Boise State Capital Scholars — recipients of a
$1,000 renewable scholarship acknowledging Idaho’s outstanding high school
juniors who were in the top 10 percent of their class and scored within the
top 10 percent of a national standardized test. The 33 recipients represent
an 83 percent increase in Capital Scholars from the previous year.
• A composite ACT score that surpassed the previous year’s entering freshman
class and exceeded the national and Idaho average scores.
• The students’ average high school GPA of 3.30, an increase from last
year’s number.
One of the recipients of the Presidential Civic Leadership Scholar program
is Debra Bonkoski, a freshman mechanical engineering major from Idaho Falls,
who says the scholarship was just one of several reasons she chose Boise
State. As two-year president of the History Club at Idaho Falls High School
and a member of the Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce Youth Leadership
Program, civic involvement has always been one of her passions.
“The scholarship I received will keep me involved in civic leadership
seminars and help me to effect change, which has always been right down my
alley,” she said. “It will give me focus and provide me with opportunities
to meet people with similar interests.”
Another reason Bonkoski chose Boise State is because her sister Kristen, a
2006 accounting graduate who now works for Boeing in Mesa, Ariz., is a
Bronco. “I came to visit her several times while she was a student here, and
I just love Boise,” she said. “I also visited the campus a number of time
for various [junior high and high school] competitions. When I was
considering other schools such as Washington, Arizona State and Idaho, I
just gravitated to Boise State.”
Bonkoski, who plans to serve in the Peace Corps after she graduates, says
her decision to attend Boise State was also influenced by her supervisor
during a high school internship that she served at the Idaho National
Laboratory. “He is on a advisory board for the [BSU] College of Engineering,
and he spoke very highly of the programs and the professors here,” she said.
It’s a decision Bonkoski has not regretted. “Since I’ve been here I’ve been
impressed by all my professors,” she said. “I’m in a class in a lecture hall
with 100 students and another class with just 10 students, and all of the
professors have been helpful and accessible. This has been a very good
environment for me.”
Kustra says Bonkoski is precisely the kind of standout student Boise State
wants to attract. “Our very highest priority is recruiting high-ability
students,” he said. “We’re being much more strategic about bringing them
here. Whether they are international students, underrepresented students, or
Idaho students who would have left the state to pursue their education
thinking there are more fertile academic environments elsewhere, we want
those high-ability students in our classrooms. The No. 1 reason they come is
the quality of the programs they are interested in.”
Kustra added that the quality of the school’s newcomers and the academic
prowess they bring to the campus is a driving force behind Boise State’s
development as a metropolitan research university of distinction.
“Our record-setting fall enrollment is evidence that our efforts to enhance
the value of a Boise State diploma are paying dividends,” he said. “These
are extremely exciting times at Boise State, and the fact we have more than
19,500 students who want to be part this experience speaks volumes about the
quality of our faculty, our campus facilities and our academic offerings.”
Boise State continues to make strides in establishing a strong residential
component to its university life. The university has reached capacity in its
residence halls and apartments for the second straight year, and is
currently in the planning stages to add more on-campus housing. In addition,
there is higher student demand than availability to live in the five
residential communities that make up the Residential Colleges. As a hallmark
of this program, select faculty live in the halls with students to provide
programming outside of the classroom that further bridges the connection
between learning and living.
But it isn’t just the raw numbers that are impressive. To manage growth and
increase student success, Boise State has continued to ratchet up its
admissions standards — the highest among Idaho’s public institutions.
Other points of emphasis about Boise State’s fall 2007 enrollment include:
• New transfer students to Boise State totaled 1,139, a 5.5 percent increase
over last year.
• The number of full-time graduate students increased 9.6 percent, from 533
to 584 with new master’s degrees in nursing, anthropology, educational
technology and information technology management serving as an indication of
Boise State’s commitment to serving the needs of Idaho.
• The full-time equivalent of 14,314 students is an increase of 598 from
last fall’s FTE, representing a 4.4 percent increase.
• The number of underrepresented students increased 6.2 percent:
Hispanic/Latino, 5.6 percent; black/African-American, 4.3 percent; Asian,
8.8 percent and Native American, 4.5 percent. This brings Boise State’s
enrollment of underrepresented students to 12 percent of its total
enrollment.
• The number of students taking one or more classes online grew 23 percent
from the previous year.
In addition, a high number of Idaho residents selected Boise State with 86.5
percent of undergraduates and 75 percent of graduate students coming from
the Gem State.
“Our enrollment this fall is evidence of Boise State University’s enhanced
reputation and growing appeal in our home state,” Kustra said.
Since 1996, the only two fall enrollment increases that surpassed this
year’s 3.5 percent hike were 4.2 percent gains in 2001 and 2003. With the
exception of one year, Boise State has seen an increase in its fall
enrollment every year since 1996 and 19 times in the past 22 years. Since
1996, Boise State has grown by more than 4,400 students, or 29 percent.
“Our strong academic and student life programs are attracting and retaining
high-quality students,” said Michael Laliberte, Boise State’s vice president
for student affairs. “Boise State is clearly on the move.”
The report comes following the 10th day of classes in which the state’s
institutions of higher education are required to report enrollment numbers
to the State Board of Education.
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Media Contact: Bob Evancho, University Communications, 426-1643;
bevanch@boisestate.edu
Boise State University celebrates its 75th anniversary this fall. From its
founding on Sept. 6, 1932, the institution has evolved from a small
church-sponsored college in a downtown schoolhouse to a metropolitan
research university of distinction with about 19,000 students. Visit
boisestate.edu and click on the “75” button for more information.
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Last reviewed on
Thursday, September 13, 2007
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