Bowling Green, Ky. - Enrollment at Western Kentucky University continues to climb.

In final figures reported to the Council on Postsecondary Education, enrollment at WKU for the fall 2005 semester is 18,645, an increase of 132 students (1 percent) over the fall of 2004. Enrollment at WKU has increased each year since 1998 when there were 14,882 students enrolled.

"Continued enrollment growth in the face of such challenges as lottery-funded scholarships in Tennessee and a leveling off of Kentucky high school graduates is an indication of the value placed on a WKU education,” said WKU President Gary Ransdell.

Of particular note is a 7.5 percent increase (to 1,591) in the number of African-American students, he said, including 335 freshmen. “We have the largest number of African-American freshmen of any public university in Kentucky,” Dr. Ransdell added. “We are committed to promoting diversity on our campus and in the college experience at WKU.”

A drop of 119 students from Tennessee was offset by a nearly 2 percent increase (278) in Kentucky students.

"We are excited with the continued upward enrollment trend,” said Dr. Luther Hughes, associate vice president for Enrollment Management. “At a time when the number of students graduating from Kentucky high schools is flat, it is wonderful that even more Kentucky high school graduates chose WKU than before. That really speaks well of the high quality of our academic programs and campus environment as well as to the aggressive and progressive recruiting efforts of our faculty and staff.”

Dr. Hughes said even though the lottery scholarships contributed to a decrease in students from Tennessee, enrollment of those students is greater than had been expected.

"Students enrolled from Tennessee still far exceed the enrollment of students from any other state other than Kentucky,” he said.

WKU Total Fall Enrollment

2005 18,645

2004 18,513

2003 18,391

2002 17,818

2001 16,579

2000 15,516

1999 15,123

1998 14,882

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.