Hesston College’s fall enrollment figures followed national trends with a Fall 2023 overall student headcount of 325, a 4% decrease from the previous year.

In contrast to a decline in first-time freshman enrollment, Hesston College increased enrollment in other key areas. Now in its second full year of instruction, the bachelor’s degree-granting School of Management welcomed twelve juniors into its program, and Hesston’s brand-new School of Engineering welcomed its first junior cohort as well.

Other encouraging data points included a 3% rise in the number of international students enrolled at the college and the highest average GPA for an incoming freshman class at HC since 2013.

Hesston College students began to return to campus in early August to attend practice in performance areas such as fall sports and choir. A reinvigorated Larks volleyball team joined baseball and soccer players, as well as members of Bel Canto Singers, the college’s top choir. The rest of the Hesston College community joined them in the following weeks. Classes began on August 15, and students were introduced to a new iteration of Hesston’s traditional all-campus chapel and forum programming, called Formation.

Hesston College has begun a search for candidates for the position of vice president for enrollment management. This position reshapes the current vice president of admissions role and adds a focus on other crucial aspects of enrollment, including the retention of students.