{"id":10324,"date":"2026-09-21T08:49:35","date_gmt":"2026-09-21T13:49:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nicholls.edu\/news\/?p=10324"},"modified":"2026-09-21T08:49:35","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T13:49:35","slug":"freshmen-retention-growth-fuels-fall-2026-momentum-at-nicholls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nicholls.edu\/news\/2026\/09\/21\/freshmen-retention-growth-fuels-fall-2026-momentum-at-nicholls\/","title":{"rendered":"Freshmen, Retention Growth Fuels Fall 2026 Momentum at Nicholls"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">THIBODAUX, La. \u2013\u00a0 A growing freshman class and higher retention rates are creating momentum at Nicholls State University this fall.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Official figures from the 14th class day show an enrollment total of 5,795 students, highlighted by 1,088 first-time freshmen, a 1.4% increase, and a 4.1% rise in graduate students.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overall enrollment decreased by about 1.7%, driven by lower dual-enrollment participation among local high school students. Excluding dual enrollment, year-over-year figures remained approximately even. The university also saw a 3.9% increase in TOPS recipients and achieved a 74.93% first-time freshmen retention rate, up 1.5%.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhen you see growth in incoming freshmen alongside a rise in retention, it tells you that students are not only choosing Nicholls but that they are also thriving here,\u201d said Nicholls President Jay Clune. \u201cOur mission has always been to provide a transformative collegiate experience in Louisiana, and these figures prove our campus culture is delivering on that promise.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The College of Sciences and Technology grew by 5.2%, supported by growth in applied sciences, biological sciences, mathematics, petroleum engineering technology and safety management. Enrollment in the Thibodaux Regional Health System School of Nursing rose 1.1%, with further growth anticipated following the completion of expanded nursing facilities later this fall. Additionally, the Master of Business Administration program saw an astounding 65.5% increase in enrollment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Todd Keller noted that these gains highlight the strength of the university&#8217;s academic offerings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cFrom our rising graduate programs to our expanding undergraduate departments, our faculty continue to build academic pathways that attract and retain high-achieving students,\u201d Keller said. \u201cWe are seeing momentum where it matters most, in our classrooms, labs and retention rates.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regional connections remain equally vital, with three-quarters of the student body from the surrounding eight-parish area, led by Terrebonne Parish and highlighted by a 10.7% surge in students coming from Jefferson Parish.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Complete enrollment statistics are available through the Office of Institutional Research, Effectiveness and Planning at <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nicholls.edu\/IREP\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">www.nicholls.edu\/IREP<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Monday, September 21, 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>MEDIA CONTACT: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Payton Suire<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Media Relations &amp; Publications Coordinator,\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">985.448.4141<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or payton.suire@nicholls.edu<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>THIBODAUX, La. \u2013\u00a0 A growing freshman class and higher retention rates are creating momentum at Nicholls State University this fall.\u00a0 Official figures from the 14th class day show an enrollment total of 5,795 students, highlighted by 1,088 first-time freshmen, a 1.4% increase, and a 4.1% rise in graduate students.\u00a0 Overall enrollment decreased by about 1.7%, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":140,"featured_media":10325,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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