As Homecoming Week Begins, DSU Projects Record Enrollment Again
As Homecoming Week Begins, Delaware State University Projects Record Enrollment AGAIN
More than 6,600 students now attend the University, the largest in the school’s history
INSPIRE scholars, enhanced online, and Early College School pipeline major contributors
DuBois, Obama, Thurgood Marshall and Braven Scholars cited in enhanced student profile
Today, Delaware State University reported another year of record enrollment, marking the fourth out of the last five years that the University has reached its high watermark in its 134-year history, according to current projections. This year’s enrollment is set to grow more than 2 percent year-over-year; DSU enrollment is up more than 30 percent since 2020.
Final census numbers will be published on October 31.
Dr. Kareem McLemore, Head of Enrollment and International Affairs, cited a significant spike in applications last year and an increasingly notable number of INSPIRE scholars. INSPIRE is a state-sponsored full, four-year tuition scholarship for graduating Delaware high school seniors with a 2.75 GPA and a commitment to public service while at the University.
Legislation to create INSPIRE was first introduced in 2010 by Representative Darryl Scott and Senator Brian Bushweller as a two-year award; it was enhanced by Representative Stephanie Bolden (Class of 1969) and Senator Trey Paradee in 2021, with the unanimous support of the Delaware General Assembly. More than 75 percent of incoming Delaware students are INSPIRE scholars at the University with an average GPA of 3.57.
Dr. McLemore also provided a perspective on the overall enrollment: “We saw a 300 percent spike in applications last year as we opened our enrollment funnel. More than 20,000 students applied to the University. They had variety of interests, but many were acutely aware of our highly regarded nursing, aviation, mass communications, pre-law, business, and agri-business programs, all of which have grown over the last few years.”
He continued, “We are also seeing great growth from our Early College School which has nearly 60 percent of the students continuing with the University after completing a high school diploma and a sizable number of college credits.”
The Early College School is now in its 11th year and serves 600 students in grades 7-12, all of whom can earn up to 60 college credits before graduating from high school. The University recently expanded the program with a 100-student pilot program in Jamaica, Queens, last month.
The University was also pleased to see continued persistence from its upper-class students, who are taking full advantage of the unique experiential opportunities available while at the University. One such program is the Braven learning accelerator, which is mandatory for all sophomores at the University, and designed to help graduating students secure a strong first job. In partnership with LinkedIn, the course focuses on building professional competencies and includes working directly with employers who manage the course, providing one-on-one leadership coaching throughout the student’s matriculation.
Braven Fellow Brandon Poplar, a double major in law studies and finance, said Delaware State University’s partnership with Braven is bridging the gap between higher education and career opportunities. “For me, the Delaware State and Braven experience feels like a life raft thrown in the sea just for me. And I can see dry land and many opportunities directly in front of me.”
Similarly, Taylor Weston, a Junior majoring in Biological Sciences and a member of the Lacrosse Team, appreciated Delaware State’s tremendous support in helping her become a Voyager Scholar. The Voyager Scholarship, created by President Barack Obama and Brian Chesky, Co-Founder and CEO of Airbnb, is a two-year leadership development program that provides up to $50,000 in financial aid, a $10,000 Summer Voyage travel stipend, mentorship, and access to a national network of changemakers.
Weston commented, “I have always been committed to serving communities, whether in Belize or South Africa, or right here in Dover, where I mentor through the Beret Project. To know that I am a Voyager Scholar makes it even more rewarding, and it simply would not be possible without Delaware State.”
University President Tony Allen was proud of the progress, as evidenced by the numbers. Still, he emphasized student quality: “The growth of the University is a part of our long-term plan, but it is not the biggest part. The real measure of success is how many students we can attract who were diamonds in the rough, shining brightly but still needing an open door, a gentle nudge, a clear affirmation that they, too, can dream and achieve.”
Allen said he recently received a note about two of the University’s students and their summer participation in the WEB du Bois Scholars program at Harvard, a fully funded intensive research collaborative for talented students from comprehensive R1 and R2 Universities. Allen continued, “I was not surprised that Gabriel Thomas and Nia Dooley distinguished themselves among the du Bois cohort, but it was Gabriel whose words struck me. A chemistry major who has already done substantive research in neurodegenerative disease, Gabriel reminded me of a philosophy we should all live by, from the words of Alma Androzzo: ’If I could help someone as I travel along, then my living shall not be in vain.’ For me, that is the Delaware State difference.”
