On August 25, 2023, Moravian University will welcome the largest pack of Greyhounds to set foot on our campus in its 281-year history.
While across the nation college and university enrollments continue to slide, Moravian’s has hit an all-time high. As of August 22, more than 500 first-year students have committed to Moravian, sprinting past the previous record of 486 new students in the fall of 2015. We are also seeing record-breaking enrollment in transfer students at 106.
What’s our secret?
Moravian’s history is one of transformation brought about by ongoing investment and innovation to provide students an exceptional undergraduate experience that is itself transformative. Today, each incoming student receives an Apple MacBook Pro and iPad to ensure equal access to technology on our all-Apple campus. New programs expand opportunities for learning and career preparation. Through Elevate, students gain leadership and teamwork skills; they study abroad and get hands-on work experience in their fields.
“It’s wonderful to see the years of strategic planning, investment, and hard work pay off in the form of the record-breaking Class of 2027,” says Scott Dams, vice president of enrollment and marketing. “I couldn’t be happier for the enrollment and marketing team as well as the entire Moravian community. It takes a total university effort to bring in a class of this size, and there are many who have gone above and beyond in their contributions to bringing in the largest class in our history.”
While incoming students enthusiastically embrace the advancements and innovations to the undergraduate experience, what lies at the core of their commitment is a quality that has been a constant at Moravian for 281 years—a close community. And that might just be more important than ever.
In a 2023 interview with PBS NewsHour, Laurie Santos, a cognitive scientist and psychology professor at Yale University, reported that “nationally, among college students, we see levels of loneliness around 60 percent.”
Nicolette Guido was excited to learn about Elevate and Moravian’s career promise, but what mattered most in her decision was that she felt comfortable on campus. Incoming freshman Francesco Coffaro and transfer student Eddiana Mancebo Almonte say they chose Moravian for the warm and supportive community. For Billy Sottilare, who is transferring from Ocean County Community College, where he appreciated the intimate experience, finding that same quality in a four-year university was essential. “And I like that the classes are small and you can interact with the professors one-on-one. That’s especially important to me.”
“When I came to an open house, everyone was so welcoming and friendly,” says Lanie Nosbich, who has been excited about becoming one of the pack ever since that day in August 2022. “Everywhere you go on campus, people wave and smile at you. And Moravian tells you what most colleges don’t—that choosing where to go is about finding the right fit.”
For Nosbich, the Moravian community is the right fit. Elevate and study abroad, she says, are the icing on the cake.