TIFTON—The School of Agriculture and Natural Resources (SANR) shattered its previous enrollment record this week as fall semester classes kicked off at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
Although the numbers are far from finalized, a total of 1,446 students were enrolled in the SANR on the second day of classes on Aug. 11. That tops the previous record of 1,360 SANR students who were enrolled in the fall of 2020.
“I believe it’s an affirmation of the reputation and legacy of ABAC,” ABAC President David Bridges said. “Agriculture is Georgia’s largest industry, and we are preparing students every day to become a part of that industry. The jobs are there, and we intend to fill those jobs with our graduates who will be ready to hit the ground running.”
Agriculture is the largest SANR major with 565 students. Other top choices for students are Agribusiness with 273, Natural Resource Management which includes Forestry and Wildlife with 266, and Agricultural Education with 213.
“We are very proud and excited about our increase in enrollment for the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources this fall, especially in light of COVID-19,” Dr. Mark Kistler, SANR Dean, said. “This is a testament to not only the quality and reputation of our programs, faculty, and staff but also to our ongoing recruitment efforts as a school.
“Everyone, including myself, has been involved in recruiting efforts – from in-person events, on-campus tours, virtual visits, and personal communications by phone, email, and mail. I have emphasized to everyone that recruitment is everyone’s responsibility, and I think it has paid off.”
Kistler said that enrollment in the SANR at ABAC has increased by 79 per cent in the past 10 years. This year’s SANR enrollment includes 801 males and 645 females.
Early numbers indicate ABAC students this fall are from 155 of Georgia’s 159 counties and 51 of Florida’s 67 counties. The students arrive from 18 states including California, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania, as well as 18 countries including the Czech Republic, Thailand, Slovakia, India, and Germany. A record 60 per cent of the ABAC students this fall are female.
Just over 61 per cent of the ABAC students this fall are pursuing four-year degrees. ABAC offers 12 bachelor’s degrees including Agribusiness, Writing and Communication, Agriculture, Rural Community Development, Agricultural Communication, Nursing, Agricultural Education, Natural Resource Management, Biology, History and Government, Business, and Environmental Horticulture.
Associate degree-seeking students make up about 38 per cent of the student population, many of those enrolled in ABAC’s popular Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree. With that degree, students can take the examination which leads to Registered Nurse (RN) certification.
Bridges said the overall enrollment numbers are still being compiled. He anticipates that the final number for the fall semester will be about the same as the 2020 figure of 3,990 students, the second largest enrollment in the history of ABAC.
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