September 8, 2020
Written by Public Relations & Communications Strategist Jill Wilson
The university is excited to announce that a total of 1,948 students — including part- and full-time undergraduate and graduate students — have chosen to embark on a bold future at Augustana for the 2020-21 Academic Year.
Augustana believes the number of students who continue to put their trust in the university and its faculty speaks boldly about the institution and where it is headed in the future. We are proud to report that the university’s retention rate from first to second year students is 83.7 percent, an increase of 1.5 percent from last year.
Registrar and Associate Dean of Interdisciplinary Programs Joni Krueger said, “We are thankful for each and every undergraduate and graduate student that has chosen Augustana University to continue their education, and we are committed to making their experience this fall the best we can for them."
The global pandemic has created challenges for Augustana, as it has for many institutions. The university reported a decrease in enrollment of around 150 students on fall census compared to the designated fall census day in 2019. The ongoing disruption in higher education, concerns surrounding COVID-19, and travel restrictions for international students have all had an impact.
Despite the ongoing challenges presented by the virus, students spoke loud and clearly over the summer that they wanted an in-person and on-campus experience this fall. We are proud to offer students the Viking Flex Plan that incorporates both face-to-face learning as well as an integrated virtual learning component in many classes, operationalized at the start of the semester on August 26, 2020.