East Stroudsburg University Celebrates Third Consecutive Year of Enrollment Growth, Driven by Returning and Transfer Students

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania (ESU) is pleased to announce its third consecutive year of enrollment growth, with 5,636 students registered for Fall 2024-marking a 3.2% increase from the previous year. This sustained growth underscores ESU's dedication to student success and innovative strategies in higher education.

Notably, the university saw an impressive surge in both transfer students (6.4%) and returning students (4.9%), a testament to the strong sense of community and academic support at ESU.

"I am incredibly proud of the work across our campus to attract and retain students," said ESU President Kenneth Long. "Our strategy to redesign our student success services has helped us sharpen our focus on increasing student retention and degree completion. These numbers confirm that we are making meaningful progress in building a stronger path to success for every student who joins the Warrior family."

This year's uptick in transfer students highlights the university's ongoing efforts to simplify and smooth the transition for those coming from other institutions. ESU's commitment to providing flexible, supportive, and clear pathways to degree completion is paying off in new ways.

Dr. Lorna Hunter, Vice President for Enrollment Management, remarked on the resilience ESU demonstrated in the face of national challenges like the delayed FAFSA process. "Like most institutions, there were tremendous uncertainties during this recruiting cycle. However, our financial aid team took proactive steps last spring, sending estimated financial aid notifications to admitted students. The immediate positive response from families affirmed the importance of these early, personal connections. This allowed students to confidently plan the next steps in their academic journey."

ESU's student body continues to reflect the university's commitment to access and inclusive excellence. "With 35.4% of our undergraduate students being the first in their family to go to college and 45.3% identified as underrepresented minority, ESU remains a beacon of opportunity for anyone seeking higher education," President Long added. "Additionally, our residence halls are at capacity this year, with nearly half of our students living on campus. This presents even more opportunities to foster meaningful connections and engage students in transformative ways both inside and outside the classroom."

For more information about how East Stroudsburg University is shaping the future of education, visit esu.edu or wherewarriorsbelong.com.