Lindsey Wilson College student enrollment tops 3,000 for first time

This story first appeared in the Sept. 22 issue of the Community Voice. For your own subscription, call 270-384-9454.

Lindsey Wilson College has experienced a record-setting start to the new academic year.

The 119-year-old liberal arts college reached its largest-ever total enrollment with 3,097 students enrolled for fall 2022. This number is a 19% increase over the previous fall and exceeds LWC’s prior enrollment record of more than 2,700 students set in 2020.

LWC has also achieved its highest-ever, first-year student retention rate. More than 70% of first-time LWC students decided to return to the College for a second year. That number represents a 6% increase over the previous record.

“We are incredibly pleased with enrollment this fall,” said Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management Dean Adams. “We know from national trends there are fewer graduating high school seniors pursuing higher education and we also know that jobs are plentiful. So, we are not only competing with other institutions but also with workforce opportunities.”

In addition to strong enrollment for the incoming freshman class, the historical growth can be attributed to LWC’s largest-ever enrollment of graduate students. More than 1,350 students are currently enrolled in LWC graduate programs. That number denotes a 64% increase in graduate student enrollment over the previous fall.

“The importance of the graduate enrollment increase cannot be overstated,” said Adams. “...we have also been encouraged by the numbers at the returning undergraduate and doctoral level. Our student retention rate remains robust which means students are finding value in what they are experiencing and re-enrolling.”

The nearly 3,100 students represent enrollment from more than 43 U.S. states and 49 countries with students attending class on the Columbia, Kentucky, A.P. White Campus; online; in blended programming; and at one of the 11 extended sites located in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio.

“I am proud of everyone in every area of LWC but never have I been more proud of our admissions teams,” said LWC President William T. Luckey Jr. “For two years, the student recruiting environment has been chaotic and uncertain. This achievement is a reflection of their talent and perseverance.”

And Luckey says the value of an LWC education, and the strength of its academic programs should also be commended.

“These impressive numbers tell us that our mission still resonates with students,” said Luckey. “Our academic programs are led by engaging faculty who are experts in their fields. Our alums are leaving LWC and outperforming the very best in medical and law school, engineering studies, education, business, nursing and so many other career and professional paths. It’s an exciting time to be at LWC.”

Venus Popplewell

Lindsey Wilson College