Tennessee Tech reporting its second-highest student retention rate in university history.
Vice president for enrollment and communication Karen Lykins said the university reached a retention rate of 79.2 percent for the current fall semester. Lykins said the university is working toward a specific goal of 80 percent and reached 80.1 percent last year.
“Every unit at this university was involved in making this athletic success happen and every unit is involved in recruitment and enrollment, so any successes you see today are our campus successes.”
Lykins said total fall enrollment reached 10,773 students, marking the highest number of new and returning students at the university in a decade.
“That flat tuition allows us to make that doable and sensible,” Lykins said. “I absolutely think it does make the work with the advisors when they’re trying to get through the progression with students, I think that helps.”
Lykins said the university welcomed nearly 2,950 new students, including the eighth-largest freshman class in school history. This freshman group includes students from 83 of Tennessee’s 95 counties and 27 different states.
“We focus a lot on personalizing everything and all parts of the admissions process, from giving personalized VIP tours to writing postcards to prospective students at the end of their tour,” Lykins said. “We really get to know and really foster a really personal relationship with them.”
Lykins said the university is currently observing a free application month throughout September to increase student access.
