{"id":114826,"date":"2024-09-11T02:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-11T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/?p=114826"},"modified":"2025-02-21T11:26:18","modified_gmt":"2025-02-21T17:26:18","slug":"campus-forum-highlights-hard-work-behind-unmcs-rising-enrollment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2024\/09\/11\/campus-forum-highlights-hard-work-behind-unmcs-rising-enrollment\/","title":{"rendered":"Campus forum highlights hard work behind UNMC’s rising enrollment"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Enrollment was the focus of this month\u2019s all-campus forum, featuring UNMC Interim Chancellor Dele Davies, MD, and special guest Jane Meza, PhD, interim vice chancellor for academic affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Davies also congratulated Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, on his formal installation as the ninth president of the University of Nebraska System, fielded an array of questions from the campus community, gave an update on several issues and shined a spotlight on two students who told the in-person and Zoom audience why they chose UNMC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Meza provided insight on UNMC\u2019s increase in enrollment for a record 24th<\/sup> consecutive year. This fall, UNMC currently enrolls 4,703 students, an increase of 3.25% over the previous year, Dr. Meza said. More than 75% come from the state of Nebraska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI want to take note of all the hard work by many people,\u201d that went into this achievement, Dr. Davies said. \u201cThis does not happen by chance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest areas of growth was in UNMC Graduate Studies, which now boasts the medical center\u2019s third-largest enrollment. The relatively new Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences (IGPBS) allows students the time and freedom to choose their areas of study and adjust to graduate school, Dr. Meza said. Greater support through increased training grants and graduate students earning their own funding and the growth in faculty research funding also have contributed to retention and growth, Dr. Meza said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kearney expansion and addition of new programs also have contributed to UNMC\u2019s enrollment growth, Dr. Meza said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Caroline Stokes, a master\u2019s in genetic counseling student, is among those who have enrolled at UNMC for one of those newer programs. She told the forum audience that she appreciates the faculty encouraging her to seek out challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reagan TeKolste was aware of UNMC as an undergraduate at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, saying, \u201cI grew up in Nebraska, and UNMC is literally everywhere.\u201d She works in the UNMC Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism and decided to further her education as a graduate student.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Philip Covington, EdD, associate vice chancellor for student success, added to the discussion by reporting that UNMC is in phase one of implementing a new CRM (customer relationship management) system to help foster engagement with potential students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Said Dr. Davies, \u201cThis will improve our ability to communicate with prospective students and track them along their path before and after they come to us. It will also help us shepherd students and give them a clearer path to take to get to each profession we offer and to support them along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A student recruitment video produced by UNMC Strategic Communications also was featured at the forum. Watch an upcoming UNMC Today for the video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other news, Dr. Davies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n