FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, Ind.
(574) 284-4579
September 23, 2009 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—Saint Mary’s College is pleased to announce its highest enrollment in 18 years. This fall semester there are 1,664 Saint Mary’s students—1,561 on campus and 103 studying abroad. In a global recession, news of an increase in enrollment at a private college is note worthy, says Saint Mary’s College President Carol Ann Mooney.
“A Saint Mary’s education prepares our graduates for life, not just that first job. A liberal arts education makes our graduates flexible, which is especially valuable when the economy sours,” Mooney said. “At Saint Mary’s, we have always worked with families to make our education affordable – but this year we have had to work even harder.”
Since the 2008-2009 academic year, the College has seen an 11 percent increase in need among students/families seeking financial aid (an increase in need of $2,700, on average). The College has responded by increasing its institutional aid budget by $2.6 million. The availability of additional federal aid has helped Saint Mary’s students/families as well. Meanwhile, the need for loans has also increased. Already this fall, the College’s Office of Financial Aid has processed an additional $270,000 in loans than a year ago.
“Everyone at the College has pulled together to make this increased aid happen. Our Financial Aid department has worked countless hours processing applications, all departments made budget cuts, and members of the Board of Trustees and our Campaign Steering Committee established a fund to provide emergency assistance to returning students. We know that this extra effort resulted in a stable enrollment even in these challenging times,” Mooney said.
More than 90 percent of Saint Mary’s College students/families receive some form of financial aid, including scholarships, need based aid, loans, and work study opportunities. Nearly one-fourth of the College’s operating budget is devoted to making a Saint Mary’s education affordable. The end result is that, for some students, the cost of attending Saint Mary’s is actually lower than that of attending a public university. In addition, the benefits of personal attention and close faculty/student working relationships that are possible at a small school last a lifetime.
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, women’s institution offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study. Saint Mary’s College has six nationally accredited academic programs: social work, art, music, teacher education, chemistry and nursing. Saint Mary's College ranks among the nation's top 100 liberal arts colleges in U.S. News & World Report's 2010 annual survey. Founded in 1844, Saint Mary’s is a pioneer in the education of women, and is sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
