Hesston College’s recent release of the 20th-day enrollment numbers shows new student headcount is up for the first time since before the pandemic.

While overall attendance dipped slightly to 308 from 325 last year, the report shows the total number of new students has increased to 151 from 144 in the fall of 2022. This is the first increase Hesston College has experienced since the 2019-20 academic year.

Grant Myers, vice president of enrollment management, is pleased with the uptick in numbers and credits a team effort for the positive shift.

“The enrollment team did a great job contacting students, building relationships and providing guidance through the admissions process,” Myers says. “It was truly a team effort with collaboration between multiple departments that allowed us to take this step in the right direction.”

The number of new students from Kansas rose 17 percent from 57 to 69 this fall while the number of out of state students rose 26 percent from 61 to 82. Hesston also saw an increase in the total number of enrolled students from Kansas reach 134 this fall compared to 122 last year. While the total number of international students did see a decrease from 59 to 50 students this year, Hesston’s retention rate is holding steady at 66 percent.