Whitworth Sets Full-Time Enrollment Record Magazine Ranks School Among Top 10 Western Colleges

Whitworth College set another record with this year’s fall enrollment of full-time undergraduates.

The private Spokane college has enrolled 1,670 students, up 25 from last year, and the most ever since the school was founded 111 years ago.

“There’s a good mood on campus and we’ve really improved our facilities,” said Whitworth College President Bill Robinson, explaining the rise in the number of full-time students.

Another 356 graduate or part-time students are enrolled at Whitworth, which adds up to a total enrollment of 2,026 - down by eight students from last year.

Whitworth College was named one of the top 10 Western colleges by U.S. News and World Report’s 2001 college ranking survey.

A greater percentage of the students who were accepted to the college decided to attend this fall, officials said. This year’s numbers show the highest yield of admitted students in a decade.

At 406 students, the 2000 freshman class is also one of the largest in the college’s history. More than 10 percent of these students were valedictorians or salutatorians of their graduating classes, Robinson said.

Whitworth’s retention rate for sophomores and freshmen also was higher than last year’s at 85 percent. The higher retention rate shows that students are satisfied with their education, officials say.

Part of the reason for the rising retention rate is “better matches,” Robinson said. “We’re clear about who we are and what we want to do, so the students who come here really want to be here.”

Registrar Gary Whisenand, in a prepared statement, attributed the record enrollment to effective recruiting and strong advising.

Despite the increase, Whitworth wants to remain small to maintain its 15-1 faculty-student ratio.

“We place a premium on the rigorous, individualized educational experience a small college like Whitworth can provide,” Whisenand said.