The University's College at Wise continues its trend of increasing enrollment this year, reaching 1,960 students as of yesterday.
"We had set out an institutional goal to reach 2,000 students by 2010, but we may break the goal this fall," Director of College Relations for Wise Jane Meade-Dean said.
The number has increased greatly from the 1,836 enrollment for last year's census. According to Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management Russell Necessary, this class is the most multi-culturally diverse class in its history, with minorities composing 17 percent of the incoming student body.
The College at Wise was founded in 1954 as an extension of the University, specifically for the residents of Southwestern Virginia.
"We're a different student body than at the University, but we're serving a very important role here across the state," Meade-Dean said.
She said about 80 percent of Wise's student body qualifies for some type of financial aid.
Wise continues to be a leading source of education for the Southwestern Virginia region. The percentage of students from Southwestern Virginia increased two percent from last year's 55 percent, even as the amount of college-bound students in the region decreased, Necessary said.
According to Meade-Dean, Wise's entering class of 373 students also is the best in terms of GPA, SAT and other academic factors.
The new students were greeted by new Wise Chancellor David Prior, who will take office Sept. 1. Prior came to Wise from the University of Wisconsin and was present for Wise's opening activities. He received his Ph.D. in neurophysiology from the University of Virginia in 1972. Prior will be in charge of all activities at the College of Wise.
"He's the chief," Meade-Dean said. "He ultimately still reports to [President John T.] Casteen and the Board of Visitors, but he is like our president."
Prior will lead Wise in the upcoming Capital Campaign, which comes in conjunction with the University's campaign. He is replacing both Ernest H. Ern, Wise's interim chancellor, who came out of retirement to assist Wise for the year and Steven H. Kaplan, who resigned in 2004.
Wise is in a period of great growth, Meade-Dean said. Not only is the student population growing but so are the structures around its campus. Even with the growth, Wise maintains its philosophy.
"We want to grow the student body in the right way --- in a measured way, so we can offer the same small classes and individual attention that students come here for," she said. "We want to make sure academic quality does not suffer."
University spokesperson Carol Wood summed up Wise's potential for the coming years.
Wise "is growing up and coming into its own, and this new chancellor has great vision," Wood said.
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