Maintaining student enrollment has been difficult for colleges in many parts of America during the last several years. Overall college enrollment in the U.S. declined for the sixth straight year in 2017 with institutions in the Midwest and Northeast being hit the hardest. Private colleges and universities are feeling the most pressure with more than two-thirds not meeting their enrollment or revenue goals in 2016.

Despite the national trend of declining enrollment, Neumann University will enroll 441 first-year students next week, an increase of 22 percent over its 2017 class of 360 first-year students. The university’s Welcome Weekend starts on Thursday, Aug. 23, when new resident students move into dormitories from 10 AM-4 PM. Members of Neumann’s athletic teams will be on hand to greet families and help with the heavy lifting.

Dr. Chris Domes, Neumann’s president who arrived on campus just one year ago in July 2017, directed the university’s recruitment strategy that generated the significant increase. Dr. Domes has a background in higher education enrollment management and admissions.

More than 90 percent of Neumann’s first-year students are from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland with a few coming from distant locations like Australia, Canada, California, Colorado, and Florida.