WSU Tri-Cities surpasses freshman recruitment goal

RICHLAND, Wash. – Washington State University Tri-Cities has received tuition deposits from 40 incoming freshmen, surpassing the original recruitment goal of 35.

“We are thrilled with the community’s response to the expansion of WSU Tri-Cities and are encouraged by the Legislature’s support of our incoming freshman class,” Chancellor Vicky Carwein said. “There clearly is a demand for higher education, which we are meeting in our new role as the region’s only four-year public university.”

WSU Tri-Cities has offered upper division – junior and senior – and graduate courses since 1989. Last year, with the collaboration and support of the Tri-Cities, the regional campus received Legislative approval to expand to a four-year program effective August 2007.

As of Thursday, April 12, morning, the WSU Tri-Cities application count is:

– 254 freshman applications received, 124 admission offers made and 40 tuition deposits paid. The $200 advance payment holds the student’s place in the class and is due May 1.
 
– 332 transfer applications received, 141 transfer admission offers made, and 39 transfer tuition deposits paid. Transfer applications are up 42 percent compared to this time last year.

University officials are awaiting the Legislature’s final budget for 2007-2009, which could include funding for up to 65 full-time equivalent freshmen. That is the new enrollment goal.

“We still are accepting and recruiting freshmen and transfer students for the fall semester. We are committed to admitting all qualified students: freshmen and transfer,” Carwein said. “The business community is stepping up to offer each full-time freshman a $6,000 scholarship package, a laptop computer and an internship.”

Local businesses already have met the original freshman scholarship fundraising goal of $300,000. The overwhelming student interest means the scholarship fund-raising goal has been increased to $450,000. Lockheed Martin already has upped its pledge from 50 to 100 laptops. WSU Tri-Cities faculty are working on class schedules and staffing to teach up to 100 freshmen, while maintaining WSU’s signature “face to face” small class sizes.

For more information on donating a scholarship, contact LoAnn Ayers, Director of Campus Advancement, at (509) 372-7252 or ayers@tricity.wsu.edu.

To apply to WSU Tri-Cities, contact the admissions office at (509) 372-7250 or admiss@tricity.wsu.edu.

Campus tours are offered each Thursday at 2 p.m. and at 5:30 p.m. at the Admissions Office or sign up for the next “Discover WSU Tri-Cities” session at 1 p.m. April 26. The campus is at 2710 University Drive in north Richland.

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