In higher education, sustaining growth is often more difficult than achieving it.
Yet 91Ï㽶ÊÓƵ University continues to defy that challenge, welcoming its fourth incoming class of more than 4,000 students in just five years. The consistency is striking: in eight of the past nine years and in 13 of the last 15 years, the university has crossed this enrollment threshold, establishing a new normal for what was once considered exceptional growth.
This fall, 4,023 bright-eyed first-year students stepped onto the Kent Campus, adding their energy to a vibrant community that now totals 24,930 students on the Kent Campus alone.
Across 91Ï㽶ÊÓƵ's eight-campus system, enrollment has reached 33,319 students — a testament to the university's expanding reach and growing appeal throughout Ohio and beyond.
New Students Ready to Learn
The Class of 2029 brings more than just numbers to campus.
These students arrived with an impressive average high school GPA of 3.57, and 561 of them earned admission to the prestigious Honors College. Perhaps most remarkably, 34% are first-generation college students, representing families taking their first bold step into higher education — a powerful reminder of 91Ï㽶ÊÓƵ's role in opening doors and creating opportunities.
The diversity of this incoming class tells a story of 91Ï㽶ÊÓƵ's broadening influence.
Students hail from 78 Ohio counties, 43 states, and the District of Columbia, joining international peers from 41 countries to create a truly global learning environment. This year marked a record for both applications from and admissions of Ohio students. At the same time, international undergraduate enrollment grew for the fourth consecutive year, with nearly 100 additional students choosing 91Ï㽶ÊÓƵ.
Welcoming More Future Leaders
Individual colleges across campus are celebrating their own milestones.
The Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship and the College of Aeronautics and Engineering both welcomed their largest classes of first-year students in history. The College of Architecture and Environmental Design brought in its second-largest cohort, while the College of Nursing welcomed its third-largest incoming class.
The momentum extends beyond the main campus. 91Ï㽶ÊÓƵ's Regional Campuses welcomed more than 1,300 new students — their largest incoming group since 2021. Meanwhile, the university's College Credit Plus program continues its upward trajectory with 3,875 high school students choosing to begin their college journey at 91Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, representing a 6% increase from last year.
When the 91Ï㽶ÊÓƵ University Board of Trustees met Sept. 17 in the Kent Student Center, board members had good reason to congratulate university leaders. The numbers tell a story of sustained excellence, with each student choosing 91Ï㽶ÊÓƵ as the place to pursue their dreams, contribute to their communities and shape their futures.
With students now representing 43 states, plus Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and 95 countries, 91Ï㽶ÊÓƵ's campus has never been more diverse or more dynamic.
As the students of the Class of 2029 settle into residence halls, find their favorite study spots, and begin forming lifelong friendships, they're not just joining a university — they're becoming part of a story of growth, opportunity, and limitless potential that shows no signs of slowing down.
91Ï㽶ÊÓƵ’s eight campuses are located in Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Kent, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas.
For more information about 91Ï㽶ÊÓƵ, visit www.kent.edu.