Diversity, Innovation Fuel Admissions Gains at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine reported today its highest first-year and transfer numbers in five years across the admissions funnel – applications, admits, and commitments.

This spring, applications to SJC have jumped 46% above the same time last year. As of the May 1st application deadline, 35% more prospective students than last year had indicated their commitment to the College. Transfer enrollments jumped seven-fold, while the percentage of non-white learners planning to attend SJC nearly doubled.

The College credits its success to a variety of factors, including outreach to new and historically underrepresented communities in Maine, innovations in core programs like Nursing, and more transfer-friendly pathways for community college students, according to Dr. Hernan Bucheli, outgoing Vice President of Enrollment.

“The energy at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine is real,” said President Jim Dlugos. “Coming out of the pandemic, we are making big strides on many fronts. Our new Talbot Scholars program is pushing our commitment to inclusion forward and changing our community for the better. Our new Center for Nursing Innovation is exciting prospective nursing students and health care partners. And forward-thinking programs like Community2 – our seamless transfer and housing partnership with SMCC – are taking advantage of trends in Maine higher education. Above all, these admissions numbers tell us that we’re succeeding in our efforts to be the college where community grows.”

Recent admissions data reveals a few other notable statistics:

• Undergraduate nursing commitments jumped 40% over this time last year, and 133% over this time two years ago.
• Business, Sport and Exercise Science, Physical Sciences, and Criminal Justice also saw double digit gains.
• Recent championship seasons in Men’s Soccer, Alpine Skiing, Golf, Women’s Lacrosse, Women’s Basketball, and Men’s Track and Field have helped boost recruitment of new SJC Monks student-athletes.
• SJC Online is also growing – applications for the online programs’ April start date rose 108% over April 2022.

While the May 1st national application deadline has passed, leaders at SJC expect to yield even more commitments through the summer. Following Commencement celebrations on May 13, the College will prepare to greet its next first year campus students at a pair of New Student Orientations in June.