More than 1,850 first-year students attended classes on first day of Fall semester

Cleveland State University marked the beginning of the Fall semester by welcoming more than 1,850 first-year students to campus, the largest-ever freshman class in the University's history. The total represents a continuation of a trend at the university, where freshman enrollment has doubled since 2010 and increased by nearly 15 percent since last year.

"CSU has become a top destination in Northeast Ohio for higher education because of our urban setting and our commitment to providing students an experience that links classroom learning and internships to career opportunities," said CSU President Ronald M. Berkman.

Enrollment results for the new, larger freshman class at CSU were achieved while continuing to elevate the average GPA and test scores of enrolled students compared to the prior year. The class of 2019 is also among the most diverse in CSU history with more than 30 percent of incoming freshmen identifying themselves as being from multicultural or underrepresented backgrounds.

"Even in a challenging demographic environment, we are seeing that our message of 'Engaged Learning' is reaching students and families. Nationally, urban universities are experiencing growth because of the real-world opportunities and linkage they offer, and this is boosted even more by the momentum that is unique to Cleveland right now," said Berkman.

The increased enrollment counters a reported regional decline in the number of students pursuing college degrees. In its most recent analysis, The Chronicle of Higher Education reported there were 300,000 fewer university students nationally in 2013 than in 2012, with the Midwest seeing the largest regional decrease at 2.6 percent.