Date:
9/9/2009
Contact: Dr. Steven Gamble at 575.760.5420
PORTALES—The record enrollment of 4,685 for the 2009 fall semester at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales is now official. The previous record of 4,342 in the fall of 1972 had stood for 37 years.
ENMU is up in virtually every category, including 7.0 percent in undergraduates and 18.8 percent in graduate students. The new freshmen enrollment of 627 is an increase of 10.4 percent over the 2008 fall semester. Student credit hours, which determine funding, are up 8.9 percent over a year ago. The residence halls are filled to 90 percent capacity, an increase from 81 percent in fall 2008.
“We’re very happy with enrollment, in terms of numbers and quality,” said Steven Gamble, ENMU president. “We’re especially happy that the average ACT scores of our new freshmen is 20.12, which exceeds the state average of 20.00.”
Gamble attributes the record enrollment to several factors. “We have hard-working, student-centered employees who have contributed greatly to this growth. Thanks to our dedicated professors, Eastern has a reputation for offering high academic quality at a low price, with genuinely personal attention for each student.
“The state of the economy is also a factor. It is no secret that in tough economic times more people attend higher education institutions to obtain the training and credentials to assist them in finding employment.”