JACKSON, Tenn. — Sept. 9, 2004 — 51社区 welcomed 417 freshmen to the Jackson campus this fall, bringing the total enrollment to 2,917, compared to 2,809 last year. In addition to a rise in the number of freshmen over the past academic year, virtually every area of the university saw an increase in enrollment.
The number of undergraduates overall increased from 2,091 to 2,158 this year, while 759 graduate students registered this fall, compared to 718 last year. Overall, the increase accounts for about a 4 percent increase.
The rise in enrollment figures means that more than 800 new students began classes at Union this year, more than making up for the 820-member graduating class who received diplomas in 2003-2004, the largest number in institutional history.
Union also welcomed more than 20 new faculty members to accommodate a larger student body and to keep the faculty to student ratio at 12 to one.
鈥淲e are incredibly grateful for a wonderful freshman class, a record enrollment, and for a great beginning to this academic year,鈥� President David S. Dockery said. 鈥淥ur excitement over the quantitative growth is exceeded by our delight over the quality of the entire student body. The signs of growth in all areas of the campus 鈥搖ndergraduate and graduate 鈥� Jackson and Germantown campuses 鈥� are marks of health for the entire university.鈥�
This year鈥檚 freshman class, the Class of 2008, boasts an average ACT score of 25 and an average high school grade point average of 3.52. The class also includes six National Merit Finalists, bringing the campus total to more than 20. Thirty-eight students were either valedictorian or salutatorian of their class, and 36 percent were in the top 10 students of their graduating high school class.
Forty-four states and 36 countries are represented in Union鈥檚 student body. In addition to Tennessee, the top states for Union freshmen include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio and Texas.