Northwest Nazarene University Interim President Joel Pearsall announced this year’s enrollment of 2,035 students. 

“I am pleased with our enrollment numbers this year," Pearsall said. "But beyond the numbers, I’m delighted by the individuals I’ve personally encountered who are now calling NNU their home. Having just spent time getting to know our freshmen better at Freshman Retreat, I know this class of students will contribute greatly to the NNU community in the years ahead.”

Overall, numbers for 2015 of 1,323 undergraduate and 712 graduate and doctoral students indicate a steady total enrollment number of 2,035 compared with 2,058 students in fall 2014. 

“It has been a pleasure to welcome these 2,035 students to NNU and we look forward to journeying with them as they experience NNU," said Stacey Berggren, vice president of Enrollment and Marketing. "NNU provides an education that focuses on the whole person (heart, soul, mind, and strength). Undergraduate students seeking future employment and graduate students wishing to diversify or advance their career find this aspect of an NNU education especially beneficial.”

The top majors chosen by this year’s class of new undergraduate students include education, business, biology and pre-health, nursing, and engineering, respectively. STEM majors make up 124 of the 340 new undergraduate students.

The total number of undergraduate engineering students this fall is 72  — a number that has been steadily increasing as the university has been pursuing ABET accreditation. The Department of Engineering expects to exponentially grow enrollment in its programs over the next few years as a result of this international stamp of approval.

Accreditation and strong academic programs are not the only reason STEM students are choosing NNU.

“NNU is set apart from the rest because of how faith-based its curriculum and values are,” said Jessica Lund, a freshman an engineering major from Boise, Idaho.

In May, NNU graduated its largest class of graduate students. Two hundred eighty-six master’s, educational specialist, and doctoral students walked across the Idaho Center stage and received degrees from 18 different programs in seven different disciplines. Despite the large graduating class, the total number of students in graduate programs is steady at 712 compared to 726 last fall. 

“It is a privilege to be entrusted with the academic preparation of the outstanding undergraduate and graduate students who have chosen to enroll at NNU this year," Pearsall said. "I’m confident that NNU’s faculty and staff are up to the challenge of providing these students with a transformative educational experience.”

--Northwest Nazarene University