William Woods University welcomes the fifth largest class of new incoming students in its history

Fulton, MO – Once again, today’s move-in day for new students at William Woods University (WWU) is setting historical records for new incoming students as the university begins its 155^th year of operation.
 
Continuing to buck the national trend in higher education enrollment, WWU will welcome the fifth largest class of new incoming students in its history when classes for the Fall 2025 semester begin on Monday, August 18. 322 new students began New Student Orientation with the university’s annual Ivy Ceremony today on campus, joining another 173 who have enrolled online. And while together the 495 new students make 2025 the fifth largest incoming class ever to enroll at the university, the numbers may grow yet - new enrollees to The Woods will be accepted until the end of the first week of classes, on Friday, August 22.
 
Overall, the total enrollment of traditional (on-campus) undergraduate students at The Woods has now risen 39% over the past four years, from 598 in 2022 to 832 today. 
 
“We are thrilled to welcome another outstanding class of new students to The Woods, the fifth largest in the history of the university,” said Romaine Seguin, President of William Woods. “Our mission of providing a student-centered, professions-oriented, personal college experience here at William Woods continues to resonate in a big way with both prospective students and their families. We are still clearly Missouri’s fastest-growing small-town university.”
 
Overall, the growth in Full Time Equivalent (FTE) students at WWU, or the average number of students taking at least 15 credit hours, has consistently outpaced all other independent colleges and universities in Missouri located outside of the two metro areas for the past five years:
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In addition, with national enrollment trends forecasting a significant decrease in high school graduates beginning next year, The Woods continues to evolve with the marketplace, showing increasing strength in serving non-traditional, working professional students. Since establishing Woods Global, a significant increase in online course offerings, in 2022, online undergraduate student enrollment has grown by 165 percent (from 138 to 366 students).
 
“We have been deliberate in shifting our focus to better serve non-traditional students, most notably working professionals, to address the coming shifts in higher education enrollment trends,” said Dr. Ted Blashak, Chief Student Experience Officer at WWU. “Wherever you find our students – living on-campus or online, undergraduate or graduate – William Woods continues to lead the way among independent institutions in Missouri outside of St. Louis and Kansas City.”
 
The growth in enrollment at The Woods comes after the university has continued to make new investments in initiatives both inside and outside the classroom, including increased academic offerings; a Coursera Career Academy partnership for micro credentials; increased online degree offerings for working professionals, and a significantly expanded athletic department. To help meet the demand, the university will open its first new residence hall on campus in nearly two decades this Fall – Hillside Hall – which will house 200 students.
 
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William Woods University has been ranked consistently as one of the top 100 regional universities in the Midwest by U.S. News and World Report. Founded in 1870, William Woods marked the 150^th anniversary of its founding in 2020. Headquartered on 225 scenic acres in Fulton, MO, the university offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a variety of disciplines in campus, outreach, and online settings. It is a coeducational, independent, professions-oriented institution that provides both undergraduate and graduate opportunities.