Fall 2001 Freshman Class Most Diverse in School History

Underscoring DePaul University’s commitment to diversity, DePaul has achieved a record enrollment of minority students during this academic year.

According to fall 2001 figures, an all-time high of 6,585 minority students are enrolled at DePaul. Minority students now represent 31 percent of the university’s total enrollment of 21,363, a one-percent increase over the previous year, and up from 20 percent in 1990.

Keeping with the university’s mission to provide access to education for students of all backgrounds, minority enrollment at DePaul has outpaced overall enrollment growth, increasing 47 percent since 1996. Overall enrollment increased 24 percent in that same period. Of total enrollment at DePaul, 10 percent of students are African-American, 10 percent are Hispanic/Latino and 11 percent are Asian/Pacific Islanders. This year’s freshman class is the most diverse in university history, with minority students representing 33 percent of the class. DePaul has been lauded recently by several publications for its commitment to a diverse student body. According to Black Issues in Higher Education’s latest rankings, issued in summer 2001, DePaul is among the nation’s top 100 universities for total minority baccalaureate degrees awarded. The publication also states that DePaul is ranked in the top 40 for total minority undergraduate degrees in business management and administrative services, and is 20th in the nation for total minority bachelor’s degrees in computer and information science.

Additionally, DePaul was ranked 18th in the most recent listing of the nation’s top 25 schools for Hispanic students, according to Hispanic Magazine and Univision Online, announced in March 2001. In spring 2001, the journal Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education also ranked DePaul among the “Top 100 Colleges for Hispanics” for the large number of graduate and undergraduate degrees awarded to Hispanic students, as well as the large Hispanic student population at DePaul.

Founded in 1898 by the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) Catholic religious community, DePaul follows a mission that emphasizes academic excellence, service to the community, access to education and respect for the individual.

In addition to its Lincoln Park and Loop campuses in Chicago, DePaul has campuses in Lake Forest (Barat and Conway Park), Des Plaines (O’Hare Campus), Rolling Meadows, Naperville and Oak Forest (South Campus). DePaul also offers MBA and bachelor degree programs in Hong Kong, and MBA programs in Bahrain and the Czech Republic.