Enrollment up nearly 9%

Enrollment at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford is up nearly 9% this fall, with a total of 1,097 students.

While recruitment of new students was strong, the university made real gains in keeping students on campus from their first year to their second. Pitt-Bradford has been working toward increased retention through enhanced academic support and expanded services that help students succeed outside the classroom. Strategic use of financial aid has also helped more students remain enrolled.

“Every number in this report represents a student who chose Pitt-Bradford to build their future, and that’s what matters most,” said Rick Esch, Pitt-Bradford president. “Our faculty and staff go above and beyond to make sure students feel supported, connected, and confident from their first day on campus. Seeing more students return and more new students join our community tells us that work is making a real difference.”

Another part of that work is forming an organized CARE (Care, Assessment, Resources and Empowerment)Team to support students as they adjust to college life, which can be particularly challenging for the 48% of the student body who is eligible to receive federal Pell grants (a sign of financial need) and the 42% of the student body who are the first in their family to attend college and might not have a knowledgeable family member to help them.

Enrollment is still strong among students from the university’s primary service area — McKean, Elk, Potter, Cameron, Warren, and Forest counties — which are home to 31% of first-year students and one-third of all students.

However, with a decreasing population in the region, Pitt-Bradford continues to attract students from beyond its immediate area. This fall, 21% of first-year students are from states, territories, or countries other than Pennsylvania or New York, including representatives from Hawaii and Guam, as well as from Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, Central and South America, and Africa. Overall, 17% of Pitt-Bradford students come from outside Pennsylvania and New York.

One factor attracting some out-of-state students is athletics. The university’s investment in a new artificial turf field is paying off in the form of student-athletes in men’s and women’s soccer and lacrosse.

Another driver of growth is the steady and increasing demand for health science professions. Nursing, biology and pre-medicine, psychology, radiological science, and exercise science remain among the university’s most popular programs. This fall, Pitt-Bradford launched an online version of its RN-to-BSN program to help working nurses earn a bachelor’s degree and an emergency medicine program to train and graduate paramedics.

Other points of interest:

• 24% of first-year students are athletes; 26% of all students are.
• 6.4% of first-year students are veterans or using VA benefits; 5.7% of all students are.
• 99% of first-year students are traditional-aged; 95% of all students are.

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