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his fall, we announced our largest enrollment in the school’s 179-year history, with 2,704 students, an increase of 6% from Fall 2019. Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Cumberland was able to surpass previous enrollment numbers. This year’s total enrollment represents a 74% increase in total enrollment since 2015. Nationwide, many experts expected a decline in college enrollment this fall. Administration attributed agility in the planning process, small class sizes, and a reputation for a personalized student experience to its success in this area. “Our faculty and staff have worked tirelessly to reach this impressive milestone for Cumberland,” said University President Dr. Paul Stumb. “This has been a challenging year for us and many of our peer institutions in regards to enrollment, and I am thankful that Cumberland has found a way to overcome many of these challenges and is able to provide our students the college experience they expect and deserve.” Cumberland’s Campus Reopening Planning (CROP) Team met consistently throughout the spring and summer to plan for ways to reopen campus in August safely. Quick decision making, the flexibility of faculty, staff, and students, and the small size of campus contributed to the success of the reopening and the surge in enrollment. The fall semester will end at Thanksgiving Break, and classes will resume for the spring semester on January 25. A breakdown of the 2020 enrollment of 2,704 includes 2,397 undergraduate and 307 graduate students. CU students represent 70 Tennessee counties, 34 states and 42 countries.
Record Growth Despite the Odds
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