This fall Marian University has achieved historic totals with the largest-ever first year class. They opened their home to a new group of students to join their community.
Marian university has welcomed over 1,200 new students seeking associate, bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees enrolled in a campus-based or online programs. Students come to Marian because many of their majors are available, they offer over 18 sports including Coed sports, for athletics. They have several student organizations such UBI (Union for Black Identity) SOL (Student Organization of Latinos), incoming students are allowed to start up new organizations once they are approved.
“I think other students come for the safety of the community, it is important to them, being part of Marian as a catholic university is really appealing,” said Jennifer Plumlee, vice president for access and student success. Overall though I think all of us, like, our faculty and staff, we have made a commitment to student success that we want our students to be successful, that we want our students to become Marian university graduates.
Marian University makes it known to their students; their faculty and staff care for them; they show this through their websites and by the campus visits and services they offer.
Marian aims for more diversity in their community. Their mission is to accept all students as the they are. Marian Universities’ racial-ethnic minorities occupy 29% of the undergraduate population. Students from 26 countries are represented at Marian, with most of the international students coming from Canada, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. Marian thinks it is important for students to be surrounded by people who think differently and interact with students from different cultures and backgrounds. They believe diversity shapes their culture as a college campus.
“What makes us special, is being curious about other people, being able to learn from them, to honor their identities and what they bring to the table,” said Plumlee. I think one of the cool things about higher education is the diversity of ideas where you can learn from other people, you can understand different ways of thinking. You can look through a different lens and try to make meaning in your own life.
“I’m really proud to be part of Marian,” said Plumlee.
Marian University is launching the Black leadership initiative on their college campus. They have had the Latino initiative on campus it has already been established for 5 years. They are starting to become a Hispanic institution. They think it is important for their campus to grow as an institution. Diversity assists them to learn, grow and evolve their numbers. They continue to grow and offer additional support wherever needed.