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Texas A&M University-Kingsville implements strategies to boost enrollment numbers, foster community engagement

TAMU-K President Robert Vela said attributed the decline in enrollment was due to loosing a lot of international students.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The new fall semester is soon to commence at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, and officials are poised to be closely monitor enrollment numbers.

In Fall 2016, there were 9,278 students. However, by last fall, that number had dropped to 6070. 

TAMU-K President Robert Vela said attributed the decline in enrollment was due to loosing a lot of international students. 

"We lost them to other parts of the world because it is what it is. That was a big piece of it," he said. 

Vela said he is working to turn those numbers around. One strategy is to offer more dual credit courses to high school students. Additionally, there's a plan to maintain a strong sense of community on campus.

"We have made a very strategic effort to ensure that every student in our backyard knows that we are here for them. That's a different strategic move on our part," he said. 

Vela said that he is starting to see positive outcomes from those strategies when it comes to student enrollment. 

"We are positioned to be up about nine percent right now when you compare apples to apples this time last year, we are up nine percent. 20 percent up in first time in college students. 28 percent up in our doctoral studies, and 78 percent of those students over the last two years are coming from our backyard," he said. 

TAMU-K Vice President of Student Affairs Rito Silva said that families are now starting to recognize the advantages of having their children enroll as Javelinas. 

"When families sit down together, and they compare our benefits of coming to school. I think it makes us an easy decision," he said. 

Another incentive that officials believe will appeal to families is the Javelina Promise. It's designed for families who make $65,000 or less. Students who qualify will be able to get four years of school tuition and fees at no cost. 

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