EAST LANSING — The Michigan State University College of Engineering is welcoming its largest entering class of freshmen in more than 25 years, with a significant rise in women students.
There were nearly 1,400 new freshmen in the college when classes began on Wednesday, Aug. 27, up from last year’s record enrollment of 1,300.
Among the nearly 1,400 freshmen are about 260 women – one of the largest groups of women to enter the college in decades.
Leo Kempel, acting dean of the MSU College of Engineering, told the students: “You are a landmark class for your size, quality and diversity of interests. Your particular skills and talents will add to our surging size and stature. Your contributions will make a difference in the world and will distinguish you as Spartan Engineers for years to come.”
Official enrollment figures will not be available until October, but the new class of freshmen will be the college’s largest entering class since 1986 and an increase over last year’s record of 1,300 new students.
All 1,400 freshmen will take Introduction to Engineering Design (EGR 100), where they will pursue hands-on design projects in teams of four. Most of the incoming students will live in MSU’s South Complex as part of the residential component of CoRe, the first year living-learning program.
College officials expect women to be about 18 percent of the freshman class, up from 225 women or about 16 percent last year. Women in Engineering recruitment and retention efforts will be gearing up even more as four dedicated staff members have been assigned to enhance the number of female students in the college.
Overall enrollment in the College of Engineering is expected to top 4,800 undergraduates this academic year. The College of Engineering welcomed 12 new faculty members to campus last week.
At MSU, there will be 7,800 freshmen including 600 new students in the Honors College this fall — and 70 percent of the Honors College students will pursue studies in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
The Michigan State University College of Engineering has six academic departments serving 4,800 undergraduate and 600 graduate students through 10 undergraduate and nine graduate degree programs. For more, visit: www.egr.msu.edu