CONWAY, Ark. (September 9,
2020) – Hendrix College welcomed the 324 new members of the Class of 2024 in a
way no other class has been welcomed in the College’s 144-year history: with absolutely
everyone interacting through computers or mobile devices. This fall’s new
student enrollment was an increase over the prior year. Total enrollment for
the 2020-2021 academic year stands at 1,076 undergraduate and graduate
students.
Faculty and students began
the fall 2020 semester Thursday, Aug. 20 with fully remote instruction as the
coronavirus pandemic that prompted a mid-March move to remote instruction continues.
“We are thankful for every
student who chooses Hendrix,” said Hendrix College President W. Ellis Arnold
III ’79, noting that new student enrollment is ahead of last year, and retention
of returning students was better than the College’s five-year average. “While we
miss the energy and excitement of in-person learning on campus, it is inspiring
to see our students staying connected to their classmates and succeeding with
their education at Hendrix.”
College administrators have
continued to monitor information from the Arkansas Department of Health, the
Centers for Disease Control, and Conway Regional Health System, as well as
researching additional safety protocols, to prepare for a safe reopening of
campus as soon as it is possible.
“We focus every day on the
evolving status of COVID in our community and state, and we look forward with
great anticipation to the return of our students to campus,” added Arnold.
Demographic highlights of
the Class of 2024
- 56% of new students are from Arkansas; 26 U.S.
states and one Canadian province are represented in the Class of 2024.
- Gender
representation is 46.7% female and 53.2% male.
- 21.2%
of new students applied for admission under the test-optional policy. Of those
who submitted test scores, the average ACT score was 28, and the average SAT
score was 1254.
- 56
are first-generation college students, with 42 of these being from Arkansas.
- 32.8%
of new students are from underrepresented groups: 9.3% African American/Black;
11.6% Hispanic; 5.1% Asian; <1% Native Hawaiian; <1% American
Indian/Native American; and 5.8% multi-ethnic.
- The
new class includes 12 Hendrix Aspire Scholars, graduates of Bryant High School
(via Aspire partner Arkansas Commitment), Little Rock Catholic High School for
Boys, Episcopal Collegiate School, KIPP Blytheville, KIPP Delta Collegiate, Little
Rock Central High, and Mount Saint Mary Academy.
About
Hendrix College
A private liberal arts
college in Conway, Arkansas, Hendrix College consistently earns recognition as
one of the country’s leading liberal arts institutions, and is featured in Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That
Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges. Its academic quality and
rigor, innovation, and value have established Hendrix as a fixture in numerous
college guides, lists, and rankings. Founded in 1876, Hendrix has been
affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. To learn more, visit www.hendrix.edu.