Increased Academic Quality, National Recognition, New Campuses Contribute to Success

DePaul University’s centennial celebration received a boost recently with news that its record-setting fall enrollment earned DePaul the distinction of largest Catholic university in America. Enrollment at DePaul has increased over 50 percent in the last 15 years, significantly outpacing growth at other Catholic universities in both the undergraduate and graduate divisions.

"Many factors contributed to DePaul’s success and chief among them are academic quality and a personalized education," said the Rev. John P. Minogue, C.M., president of DePaul. "We have become the university of choice for students seeking values-based training in the best tradition of Catholic education. Our student/faculty ratio of 16 to 1, coupled with national recognition from prestigious publications, set us apart from the rest this year."

DePaul’s fall enrollment was 18,565 students, a 4.3 percent increase over last fall. Second in the nation at 18,336 students was St. John’s University in New York, followed by Loyola University of Chicago with 13,823 students. The Congregation of the Mission, commonly known as the Vincentians, sponsor DePaul and St. John’s, while Loyola is sponsored by the Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits.

"DePaul’s investment in academic quality, outstanding new facilities, convenient campus locations extending into the suburbs and excellent student support services were key factors to our success," said David Kalsbeek, vice president for enrollment management.

"The number of students with a record of high academic achievement, the increasing diversity of students and growth in overall enrollment during our centennial year reflects the well-regarded reputation DePaul has earned among students in Chicago and across the nation," he said.

This year’s freshman class was the largest and most diverse in DePaul’s history, with 1,482 students. The class is also the most diverse in university history, with minority students representing 32 percent of the class. Overall, the enrollment of minority students at DePaul reached an all-time high of 5,625 this fall, or 30 percent of the total student body.

The freshman class also grew in academic stature with ACT and SAT scores exceeding national averages. DePaul freshmen this year averaged 24.3 on the ACT and 1147 on the SAT compared to the national ACT average of 21 and SAT average of 1017.

"DePaul’s work is guided by its mission to provide access to education and its success in fostering partnerships with government, businesses and neighborhood organizations throughout the Chicago metropolitan area," Minogue said. "In addition, our professional programs have earned DePaul a reputation for providing an excellent education to adult part-time students."

He continued, "You cannot achieve these results without a dedicated faculty and staff supporting students each step of the way. At DePaul, students come first."

Trends evident in DePaul’s enrollment figures show that students are seeking computer and technology programs in large numbers and business degrees continue to grow in popularity. DePaul’s suburban campus strategy of surrounding its two well-established campuses in Lincoln Park and the Loop with sites in every direction has been effective. DePaul now has thriving campuses in Des Plaines, Naperville, Oak Forest and its newest location, Lake Forest, which opened last September.

Richard J. Meister, executive vice president for academic affairs, said strategic planning laid the groundwork for DePaul’s success. In 1988 the university adopted a well-conceived 10-year plan for new state-of-the-art academic facilities and curriculum enhancements to support controlled growth in enrollment. "The plan set DePaul on the path to become a premier urban university that provides quality higher education to students of diverse backgrounds and produces graduates with a commitment to community service," he said.

Students are reaping the benefits of four new facilities in recent years, with more on the way. This summer DePaul is preparing to open the latest of them, the $12 million Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center in Lincoln Park. Last September the university dedicated the $12 million McGowan Biological and Environmental Sciences Center. In 1993 the university opened DePaul Center after a $65 million renovation of this South Loop landmark building, and in 1992 it opened the $25 million John T. Richardson Library in Lincoln Park.

DePaul’s future plans include adding faculty members, increasing access to new and improved technology and constructing several new academic and recreation facilities for students. The university will continue to enhance its outreach efforts to students and communities of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.

DePaul is celebrating its 100^th anniversary during the 1998-99 school year with a full slate of events, including lectures, exhibits, performances and community service projects.

Note to Editors: Universities report enrollment statistics to the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), which is operated by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/). However, the most current final statistics available from IPEDS are for fall 1996-97. DePaul surveyed the universities in the following chart regarding fall enrollment using the IPEDS definition to determine its position as largest Catholic university in America.