With a 40% class size increase over four years, Winthrop’s freshman class predicts a hopeful trend and “a great victory for Winthrop University”, according to Dr. Joseph Miller.
By Evi Houston
News Editor
After years of stagnation, Winthrop’s class of 2029 is set to be one of the biggest in school history.
Winthrop University welcomed 1,009 degree-seeking students into the Class of 2029, according to a preliminary head count on Aug. 27, indicating a trend of robust growth and increasing interest in the university. This number is likely to change up until the add-drop period ends on Sept. 2, with an official report available Oct. 1.
Compared to freshman class sizes during the same time period in 2024 and 2023, population has increased 10% over last year and 15% over the class of 2027. These jumps significantly outperform what was expected of the freshman class, as well as class size growth last year, which only increased from 876 to 914 students, or about 4%.
Even more striking is the population growth from 2022 to 2025 in freshman class sizes, a staggering 40% increase from 709 to 1009 students. Similar trends are evident in the growth of transfer students over the years.
Dr. Joseph Miller, Winthrop’s vice president for Enrollment Management & Marketing, provided some insight on how the administration is viewing and handling the Class of 2029.
“We are in a growth period, and it’s exciting because now we are seeing enrollments at Winthrop University, especially new freshmen, new transfer combined enrollments, that we haven’t seen in over a decade,” Miller said.
When asked if the increased size was due to a relaxed admissions process or increasing interest in the university, Miller said that no changes were made to the admissions process aside from test-optional considerations during COVID-19.
Miller attributed the growing student body to “continued growing demand for a Winthrop degree across our market of students and students recognizing the high quality and value of Winthrop University.” The vice president also noted strong engagement among faculty and students and an improved brand strategy as factors.
Perhaps most telling is the university’s lowering of in-state tuition, which was announced in March of 2024 under President Serna’s “Tuition Transparency Initiative”. Tuition costs dropped 8% for the 2024-25 school year and another 14% for the 2025-26 school year. Miller said he is hopeful that the university has identified the right marketing price point to appeal to all South
Carolinians. The Class of 2029 is one of the largest in recent years as well as one of the most impressive, according to Miller.
“The academic profile of this entering freshman class is one of the strongest that we’ve had in the past decade, which is really exciting,” said Miller.
Winthrop University remains a traditionally selective institution, with a recent press release declaring a 3.99 average high school GPA among the freshman class.
Topping a one thousand freshman headcount wasn’t necessarily a part of the university’s plan for this year, but the administration is finding ways to be flexible.
Miller said that the Class of 2029 outperformed the university’s 5-year enrollment plan, which projected 50 more freshmen each year, but received 95 instead.
While Miller is ecstatic about the growth of the university, he is aware that the university must be prepared to grow and stretch when needed when it comes to issues like housing, academics, common spaces, and amenities.
“Winthrop University is right sized to serve a total student body somewhere between 5,000 to about 6,500 students. And so we’re right within that comfort zone […] we’re right at that maximum point,” Miller said.
The administration hopes to use creativity to solve problems such as limited course sections and housing, as best illustrated (and at times criticized) in Residence Life.
Dr. Jarad Russell, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Residence Education, shared with The Johnsonian the details of freshman housing on campus.
“We have 2,188 students currently [living] on campus. 974 of them are new students, and 1,214 are returning students,” Russell said.
Approximately 96% of the freshmen class is living on campus and 45% of students utilizing student housing are freshmen.
In response to rumours about overcrowding following Residence Life’s announcement on June 18 that they would be reopening the previously condemned Roddey Hall and allowing students to “triple” their rooms by adding a third roommate, Russell asserted that these were simply part of a back-up plan in case extra housing was needed.
“By the time move-in started we were able to get everyone out of tripled rooms. There are still a handful of people in a triple, but that is because they elected to remain together in that space […] we do not have any crowding issues, and everyone is in a regular bed space,” Russell said.
“Overall, we were able to house every new and returning student that needed housing this year, and no one was turned away. As for the future, we are in talks right now to figure out the best way to move forward and ensure we can offer our students as much housing as possible at an affordable rate,” Russell said.
While the Class of 2029 is not the largest in Winthrop’s history, its size is part of a trend that has emerged over the past decade, according to Miller. College attendance has fluctuated widely over the 21st century, due to the Great Recession in 2008 (which delayed both immediate attendance and family planning) and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Miller presented a hopeful and excited attitude towards the future of Winthrop enrollment.
“It’s a great victory for Winthrop University, because during the pandemic [we], like a lot of institutions, we did experience some enrollment declines, but it’s great to see how our market has rebounded so quickly, and the demand for a Winthrop education has continued to resonate really strongly with citizens in the state, but also the region too, because there’s a lot of institutions like us that are not having these kinds of results. …We’re better positioned than most,” Miller said.
Winthrop freshman Kyasia Green, a human nutrition major, provided her perspective on the Class of 2029.
“Everybody’s pretty cool, really nice people,” Green said. “They are all friendly with everybody and I can really see myself making friends here.” This was contrary to her expectation that there might be division among the student body since everyone is coming from a different place and background.
Even as a new student, Green said she could feel the disproportionate size of her class. In terms of Winthrop’s popularity during the admissions process, Green felt drawn to the university mainly due to her tour experience.
“I knew I wanted to come once I visited Winthrop,” Green remarked. She said she enjoyed the appearance, physical size, and atmosphere of the university.
Miller said he was happy that the school was able to house every freshman who was accepted to join the Winthrop Class of 2029.
“I’m glad to know that at the end of the day, it appears that every student who has a need, whether academically or with housing, is being served,” Miller said.
