VCU welcomes class of 2008

By Malorie Burkett

RICHMOND, Va. (Aug. 25, 2004) – Virginia Commonwealth University this week ushers in the 2004-2005 academic year with its largest freshman class to date, marking the sixth straight year of increases in freshmen enrollment for the university.

“This year’s incoming freshmen class and our strong group of transfer students show that more students are choosing to attend VCU, including a good percentage from Northern Virginia,” said VCU President Eugene P. Trani, Ph.D. “It is a good indication that VCU is not only becoming the residential, destination university that we envisioned, but that our plans for expansion and improvement are on the right track.”

Fall semester statistics include:

* A record 3,358 freshmen, up from 3,326 last year, are enrolled for the fall semester. About 10 percent of the freshmen also are out-of-state students.

* An overall increase in enrollment for the university from 26,700 students last year to 27,500 this year. This is the largest incoming class of students to VCU, which also includes 1,811 transfer students.

* About 37 percent of the freshmen are minorities, including African-American, Asian, Hispanic and international students.

* More freshmen come to VCU from Fairfax County than from any other county in Virginia, with 440 enrolling this year. The number of students coming from Fairfax County has increased by 40 percent over the last two years. Other areas in Virginia with significant increases in freshmen enrollment include Newport News and Prince William County.

* VCU will have about 4,100 students living on campus this year.

Classes for the fall semester begin Thursday.