Southern Miss Freshman Enrollment Continues Record Climb

For the fifth straight year, The University of Southern Mississippi experienced a record increase in the number of freshmen choosing the institution to help them achieve their educational and career goals.

More than 1,900 have enrolled in the freshman class at Southern Miss for the fall 2012 semester, according to university officials. Over the last five years, Southern Miss has realized an unprecedented 35 percent increase in freshmen.

The increase comes on the heels of the recent selection of the university by Washington Monthly as among the top institutions of higher education in the country for its research, community service and social mobility.

“We're pleased to see more freshmen choosing Southern Miss for their higher education needs,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Joe Paul. “We offer a wide variety of quality academic programs, supportive faculty and staff and a beautiful campus that add up to make the perfect environment for a student to learn and grow as a person.”

Enrollment at the university is at 16,471, a less than one percent decrease from the previous fall semester. Closures on the Hattiesburg campus and Gulf Coast during the week of Aug. 26 because of Hurricane Isaac resulted in lost fall semester registration days, which university officials believe contributed to the decrease.

To learn about the university's academic programs, how to become a student at Southern Miss and opportunities for scholarships and financial assistance, call 601.266.5000; online, visit www.usm.edu/admissions.