Alabama NewsCenter
Miles College has increased its total enrollment this fall by 4 percent, for its second consecutive annual enrollment increase. The college welcomed 519 new students this semester, a 7 percent increase from 2020. The incoming class boasts a 3.07 average GPA, one of the highest ever for the Birmingham area’s only four-year historically Black college or university (HBCU).
The college enrolled 126 transfer students for the 2021-2022 academic year, an increase of 50 percent from the 2020 school year. Overall, the college had a fall 2021 enrollment of 1,501 students, bringing total enrollment above 1,500 for the first time since 2017.
Miles College has deployed an aggressive campaign to engage students who had their education disrupted. In collaboration with Regions Foundation, the campaign resulted in the college re-enrolling 132 students whose education had been disrupted for at least a year – a 132 percent increase from 2020.
“This is a true testament to the work that our enrollment management team is doing to have this type of growth and success for the second year in a row,” said Bobbie Knight, Miles College president. “I am extremely proud of the hard work that we are doing at Miles College to ensure that we continue to recruit, retain and educate our amazing students.”
Miles College officials have focused on improving programs and processes to ensure student success. The college has stepped up student recruiting, despite challenges brought about by the pandemic. Among the efforts is a new partnership with Lawson State Community College that makes it easier for Lawson graduates to transfer to Miles College to complete their bachelor’s degrees.
Lawson State Community College (LSCC) students with an associate’s degree can now easily transfer to Miles College to obtain a bachelor’s.
After completing 64 transferable hours or obtaining an associate’s from LSCC, Miles College will provide admissions to Lawson State students and/or alumni who possess at least a GPA of 2.0 in their core curriculum or a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
“Guided by our strategic planning efforts, we’re leading the way in Alabama and nationally in our efforts to remove barriers to provide a global, high-quality educational experience for all of our students,” said Michael A. Johnson, vice president for enrollment management at Miles. “It’s been an incredibly challenging year, but we’re seeing very positive trends in key areas, from our freshman enrollment growth to our community partnerships. We look forward to continuing to leverage these partnerships to enhance opportunities for our students.”
