Missouri Baptist University ushered in its largest freshman class in University history today at the official MBU Welcome Ceremony.

“The record-breaking freshman enrollment and gains in resident students are evidence of students’ attraction to MBU’s Christian mission and strong academic reputation,” said Dr. Keith Ross, MBU president. “Missouri Baptist University offers an exceptional education within a supportive community that inspires students to refine their gifts and develops the passion and skills to excel in their chosen career and serve others well.”

The 2019-2020 full-time freshman class has increased by about 13 percent from a year ago. The record-breaking freshman class will join the largest number of returning students in University history. The number of students living on campus has increased by about 6 percent since last year.

In addition, MBU Online, which offers 14 undergraduate degrees fully online, has grown by 15 percent. In the past year, MBU Online has launched undergraduate degrees in Management, Marketing, Business Administration, Information Technology with a concentration on cybersecurity or application development and an associate degree in Pre-Nursing. The University’s graduate programs have seen a four percent increase compared to last year. Notably, graduate online enrollment is up about 17 percent year over year.

Classes for the fall semester begin Monday, Aug. 18.

The statistics reported use enrollment as of Aug. 16. Official data will be available after the October 15 census.