Stevens percentage of out-of-state students stagnated at 38%, despite efforts to increase geographic diversity

A recent report revealed that the percentage of undergraduates who come to Stevens from outside of New Jersey has stagnated at 38% for nearly a decade. This finding indicates that Stevens is not on track to achieve its goal of having an undergraduate population with 48% of students from outside of New Jersey by 2022.

The hope to diversify the undergraduate population began in September 2012 when President Nariman Farvardin launched his strategic 10-year plan. The first goal listed in the plan — Goal U1 in the section “Undergraduate Studies and Experience” — describes various changes to the undergraduate composition that Stevens wants to see.

Among these changes include a goal to increase the undergraduate enrollment to 4,000 students; increase the percentage of female students to 35%, compared to 25% in Fall 2011; grow the percentage of international students to 8%, compared to 5% in Fall 2011; increase the percentage of domestic out of New Jersey students to 48%, compared to 38% in Fall 2011; and raise the percentage of underrepresented minorities to 8%, compared to 5% in Fall 2011.

Every year since the launch of the 10-year plan, Stevens has released an annual report that outlines the progress of each goal. So far, Stevens has been on track to meet most of these goals. However, the goal to increase the percentage of out of New Jersey students has remained out of reach despite efforts to modify this demographic.

“While the raw number out-of-state domestic students continues to grow, the percentage has remained the same due to the overall increase in the size of the incoming class,” said Jacqueline Williams, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions. “We are excited by the progress Stevens has made thus far and look forward to continued success.”

To increase the percentage of out of New Jersey students, Stevens has targeted students through social media, visits to high schools, and information sessions across the country, according to Williams. “The launch of the virtual tour has made a visit to our campus possible for students all over the world,” she added. “We are excited by the progress Stevens has made thus far and look forward to continued success.”

Marybeth Murphy, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, who is also one of the people directly responsible for Goal U1, acknowledged that the percentage of out of New Jersey students has leveled in recent years. However, she attributed the lack of out of New Jersey growth to “the growth in the overall class size.”

“As we continue to increase our recruitment efforts around the U.S.,” Murphy added, “and as Stevens’ reputation continues to grow beyond the New York metropolitan region, we expect our efforts will bear fruit and that the geographic distribution of applicants and enrolled students will become more diverse in coming years.”

Both Murphy and Williams expect that the continued recruitment efforts will increase the percentage of out of New Jersey students, thus fulfilling the goal set in the strategic 10-year plan.