JBU Welcomes Record Incoming Class
SILOAM SPRINGS, Arkansas (Aug. 22, 2024) – John Brown University welcomed a record-setting 455 new students to the Siloam Springs campus on Wednesday, Aug. 21, to begin five days of orientation before classes start on Aug. 26. This total includes transfers and students returning after one or more semesters away, as well as a record-breaking freshman class of 386 students, surpassing the previous record of 376 freshmen in 2023.
Several student population groups saw marked increases, including students from Northwest Arkansas, which saw a 15.56% increase, while the overall student population from Arkansas grew by 18.63%. Additionally, the university experienced a notable 16.95% rise in Latino-American students.
Hannah Bradford, executive director of admissions, attributed the increase to several key factors, including expanded recruitment efforts in Northwest Arkansas and proactive financial aid initiatives during a year marked by a frustrating governmental overhaul of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
To help families, JBU offered early tentative financial aid offers based on an innovative institutional aid calculator, enabling students to plan for college despite the FAFSA delays and uncertainties.
“Families recognize that while JBU may cost more than other schools they're considering, the value of our Christ-centered, liberal arts education is a good investment, reflected in high graduation rates and strong starting salaries for our graduates in Arkansas,” said Ryan Ladner, D.B.A., vice president for enrollment management. “Families also appreciate the care our community showed during the enrollment process. We are eager to see how theses students live out the mission of JBU to honor God and serve others."
Ladner said he is grateful to the enrollment team, faculty and staff for recruiting the record class.
Total undergraduate enrollment for the fall is currently 1,353 students. Final enrollment numbers are officially reported after the 11th day of classes.
John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked university (The Wall Street Journal) and top-ranked regional university (U.S. News), JBU enrolls more than 2,200 students from 37 states and 42 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers over 50 undergraduate majors, with top programs including nursing, psychology, business, computer science, construction management, graphic design, family and human services, and engineering. Eighteen graduate degrees are available in business, counseling, cybersecurity, and education.
