K-State Enrollment on the Rise, Fueled by Strategy and Athletic Success
- Sophie Smith
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Enrollment at Kansas State University is trending upward after years of decline, marking a major turnaround for the university. University President Richard Linton said the growth comes after a focused effort to reverse a long-term drop in student numbers. “When I first came here, we were at the lowest we’ve been in a long, long time. We had a 10-year decline,” Linton said. “The goal was, how do you turn this around? How do you rethink this?”
K-State welcomed its fourth-largest freshman class in university history last semester, a sign that those efforts are paying off.
"With strategic planning around marketing, connecting with guidance counselors, parents, and students… we started to turn the boat and head in the right direction," Linton said.
The university is now expecting enrollment between 21,500 and 21,700 students this fall, working toward a goal of 23,000.
“A lot of hard work and a lot of strategy has helped us kind of turn the boat,” he said.
Focus on Student Experience
Linton emphasized that K-State’s appeal goes beyond academics, highlighting the importance of campus life and student experience.
"There is no better place in America to have a student experience,” he said. University leadership has focused on directly engaging students to improve their experience. "I’ll connect with students, I’ll connect with Student Senate and talk to students all the time,” Linton said. “We’ll have 5,000 students at our house for lunch, and all the First Lady and I are doing is asking, how is your experience here, and what can we do to make it better?”
While online learning is growing, K-State is prioritizing in-person experiences. "It’s easy to grow online," Linton said. "It’s more difficult… to be able to maintain or grow the on-campus participation. But for us, because who we are is all about the on-campus, one-on-one experience with our students."
Athletics Driving Visibility and Growth
Athletic success is also playing a role in boosting enrollment and strengthening the
university’s brand.
"I think whenever we’re successful in athletics, it’s good for the institution.” Linton said. “There’s national data that shows when you’re doing well, when you’re winning championships, student enrollment increases." Competing in the Big 12 Conference brings national attention, which can influence prospective students and their college decisions.
Athletics also strengthen relationships with alumni. “For many alumni, their main point
of connection is going to a football game, going to a basketball game, going to a volleyball
game,” Linton said. That connection can lead to increased financial support for the university.
“Certainly, philanthropic support is influenced by how successful we are in athletics,” he added.
Looking Ahead
As the landscape of college athletics continues to change, K-State is focused on staying competitive while maintaining long-term sustainability.
"K-State and everyone else in the Big 12 is going to have to figure out how to be able to afford that financially, and be sustainable, for us to be successful," Linton said.
With enrollment rising and continued investment in both academics and athletics, K-State is working toward long-term growth, Linton added.
"I feel really good about where we are in athletics, and I think we've just hired a number of really great coaches that is bringing a lot of excitement to campus."
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