St. Scholastica enrolls second-largest freshman class

The College of St. Scholastica will welcome 550 new students this fall. Classes begin Tuesday, Sept. 8.

First-year students move into campus housing Friday, Sept. 4. At 4 p.m. the new students and their families will participate in the annual Pledge Ceremony, held on the Science Center lawn.

The ceremony honors the tradition of parents bringing their children to college for the first time, said Steve Lyons, vice president for student affairs. Parents recite a pledge in support of their children and the new students recite a pledge that affirms their role in the St. Scholastica community.

"This incoming class is the second-largest in the College's 97-year history," said Eric Berg, vice president for enrolment management. He said the recession has had a slight impact on enrollment, though interest is still high based on numbers of applications received. "We feel very fortunate to be in a position of strong enrollment in this economic environment."

Berg said this year's freshman class comes with higher GPA's and ACT scores than any other incoming class. "They have a high academic profile. They are serious students and strong leaders who are focused on getting their degree in four years - something we guarantee."

St. Scholastica's four-year graduation rate is more than two times higher than any other Northland college, Berg said. St. Scholastica's pre-professional programs, particularly in the health sciences, continue to be a big draw for students and parents, he said. Those include pre-med, chemistry, social work, biology, nursing, health information management, physical and occupational therapy and exercise physiology.

Total enrollment at St. Scholastica is projected to be 3,600. That figure includes 2,100 undergraduate students, and 1,500 graduate and nontraditional students in Duluth, Brainerd, St. Paul, St. Cloud and Rochester. Approximately 300 of the nontraditional students are online students. Final enrollment numbers will be determined 10 days after classes begin.

The College community ceremonially begins the academic year with a colorful event called Opening Convocation at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, in the Mitchell Auditorium. Current students, faculty and staff will gather with members of the Saints Heritage Club, which honors alumni from 50 or more years ago. Alumni from as far back as the Class of 1939 will be in attendance.

The ceremony features faculty in caps and gowns, bagpipers in traditional costume and a processional "chain of welcome." The freshmen then make their way to the steps of Tower Hall to pose for a class photograph. A barbecue picnic follows.

The College of St. Scholastica is regularly recognized as one of the finest colleges in the Midwest. The 2010 "America's Best Colleges" survey by U.S. News & World Report magazine ranks St. Scholastica in the top tier of Midwestern universities. The Princeton Review recommends it as one of the "Best in the Midwest," and The Washington Post has rated it one of the nation's 100 "hidden gems" among American colleges and universities.