Enrollment Continues To Increase at Sul Ross

By Viviana Sanchez, Skyline Reporter

ALPINE – Sul Ross State University’s impending transition to Division II sports, marketing efforts in El Paso, Midland and Odessa, the growth of online master’s programs, dual-credit partnerships, and improved financial aid counseling have boosted the university’s enrollment by almost 40%, university officials said. 

According to Yvonne Realivasquez, vice president of enrollment management, the Alpine campus saw an increase in enrollment during the Fall 2023 semester and an even larger increase of 37.5% in Spring 2024. However, the Rio Grande campuses had a 9.2% decrease in enrollment in those semesters. 

Sul Ross currently has a total of 2,206 students, with an additional 369 students who are enrolled in dual-credit courses. With the increase in students, the university is now closer than ever to its highest enrollment of 3,061 students during the 2016-2017 academic year. 

Various factors contributed to this surge. The leading factor being a dual-credit partnership with Eagle Pass Independent School District, where eligible high school students can enroll in college courses to receive both college and high school credits. This partnership is credited with increasing enrollment by several hundred students. 

“There are a number of factors that contributed to the increases like the DII move which saw increased traffic; the marketing efforts in El Paso, Midland and Odessa; faster admissions responses; growth of online master's programs,” Realivasquez said. 

This growth in enrollment provides the university with more funding from the state for current and future programs, services and initiatives.   

“From another perspective, increased enrollment re-invigorates the campus community and allows us to offer more educational opportunities for our region,” Realivasquez told the Skyline. 

Although there has been an increase in enrollment, Sul Ross still struggles with retention, with a graduation rate of just 38%. However, things are looking up as retention has increased by 8%. 

Realivasquez told the Skyline the school will continue to develop new strategies to retain and graduate existing students. 

“We want our students to have a great experience and come back each semester so that they will graduate and walk that stage!” Realivasquez said.