The recent release of “20th-day figures” for enrollment shows Bethel has continued a steady climb over the past six years.
Enrollment numbers for the fall semester are released on the official 20th day of classes, which was Sept. 11 this year.
As of that date, the fall enrollment headcount was 507, compared to 503 in 2023.
As was true last year, the most significant number was that of new students (first-time freshmen, transfer students and former students – those previously at Bethel who returned): 209.
“This is the first time since 2017 we’ve had an incoming class of over 200,” said Eric Preheim, director of admissions. “It’s the largest first-year class, 170, in 40 years, since 1984.”
“This makes six straight years of enrollment growth, which is something that I think shows the strength of the college through difficult times. It’s a measure not only of recruiting, but of retention as well.”
New students this fall come from 22 states in addition to Kansas: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington; and 11 countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Cyprus, Germany, Mali, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, United Kingdom and Venezuela.
As far as staff can tell from records, the students from Mali, Sri Lanka and Tunisia are Bethel’s first ever. Plus, besides the usual two exchange students from the University of Wuppertal, Germany, there are two more German students.
Bethel is a four-year liberal arts college founded in 1887 and is the oldest Mennonite college in North America. Bethel was the only Kansas college or university to be named a Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center, in 2021. For more information, see www.bethelks.edu
