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University sees a growth in inquiries, applications and visits before hosting the most-registered recruitment event in the institution’s history

����ԭ��’s ambitious vision continues to attract students from across the country and globe, with the institution racking up increased numbers of applications and visits this cycle.

More than 5,000 first-year students have applied so far this year, an increase of nearly 5 percent compared to the same time last year. The university’s annual Packapalooza admissions event, held over the holiday weekend, featured the highest number of registrations for any event in the university’s 65-year history.

Even before Packapalooza commenced, more students had visited ����ԭ�� during this school year than at this point in each of the past five years. Last weekend’s event added hundreds more to that tally, with prospective students and their families touring ����ԭ��’s campus and learning about the resources and support available to them. Attendees traveled from six states and two countries, with one family in attendance making the trek from Paraná, Brazil.

“This program allows students and their families to really explore everything ����ԭ�� has to offer,” said Mary-Alice Ozechoski, M.A., senior vice president for enrollment management and student affairs. “It is a coordinated effort of faculty, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Student Financial Services and Athletics. Packapalooza programs touch every aspect of the life of a student and their families.”

Proceedings began on the school’s main campus with students holding one-on-one appointments with faculty members in their areas of interest. Students and parents then chose their own adventure from over 20 information sessions. Topics included Financing Your College Education, the Student-Athlete Experience, How to Get Involved in College, Transfers Made Easy, First-Generation Student Success Stories, Academic Accessibility & Multilingual Support, and Sustainability and Outdoor Adventure.

Traversing Bernardine Hall to attend a financial aid appointment with the Office of Student Financial Services, Jayden Brown, who plans to major in physical therapy, said he was enjoying the day.

His father echoed his sentiments.

“It’s been absolutely great,” said Jason of Mountain Top, Luzerne County.

Jayden’s mother, Liz, was impressed by the level of coordination.

“It’s very well organized,” she said.

At the university’s downtown John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne, demonstrations showcased the Bloomberg Terminal, the computer software used by leading business and financial professionals worldwide, in the Header School of Business’ trading lab; and the new, state-of-the-art simulation labs offering world-class experiences to the university’s healthcare majors.

There were also student-to-student and parent-to-parent sessions, presentations showcasing each of ����ԭ��'s four colleges, and a coffee meet-and-greet with President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D., at the Post Center Starbucks.

PHOTO: ����ԭ�� President Glynis A. Fitzgerald, Ph.D., chats with students and parents at a coffee meet-and-greet during Packapalooza at the Starbucks in the John R. Post Center at Reading CollegeTowne.

The event was the latest example of ����ԭ�� successfully navigating the headwinds facing higher education, continuing its transformation from a single-building college for the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters to a comprehensive, nationally recognized doctoral university with multiple locations.

Last year’s incoming class of nearly 500 first-year and transfer students was the third largest in ����ԭ��’s history. The only classes larger were the two before it.

In the fall, ����ԭ�� launched Partners in Progress, the public phase of its comprehensive campaign. To date, the university has raised over $55 million of the campaign’s $70 million goal. Those funds will enhance the student experience and allow the university to boost its financial aid and other forms of assistance, including the Hope Fund, which assists students and families in financial need and addresses student hardships as they arise; the Header Scholars Program, for students enrolled in the Header School of Business; and the Carole Neag Nursing Scholarship Fund, for undergraduate students in ����ԭ��’s John and Karen Arnold School of Nursing.

Applications were dominated by students from Pennsylvania and its neighboring states, but nearly every state was represented, with only the Dakotas not making the list. The academically strong class boasts an average GPA of 3.37.

International applications soared 37 percent to nearly 1,600 from the same time last year. ����ԭ�� has received applications from 88 countries so far this cycle. Ghana leads the pack, followed by India, South Africa, Kenya and Pakistan.

PHOTO: ����ԭ�� Golden Guides hand out free swag at the end of the day.

The applicant pool is increasingly diverse, with significant increases in students of color — Black students and Asian students increased 21 percent and 13 percent, respectively — over last year.

“We are growing because we are innovating in and out of the classroom,” Ozechoski said. “����ԭ�� is meeting the needs of our students from every corner of the world. Our world-class facilities, in-demand programs and experiential learning opportunities make us a great place for students to learn and grow. We look forward to welcoming another record-breaking class this fall.”