FSU boasts enrollment gains

“We’re having new renovations here at Fayetteville State University,” she said. “We have a new student center that was established in September of last year.”

While enrollment is slightly down this year, by 800 students, FSU has had impressive growth since 2010.

According to figures from the U.S. Department of Education, national enrollment at historically black colleges and universities boomed by 12 percent between 2004 and 2009. But while most HBCUs reported a 7 percent decrease in enrollment between 2010 and 2013, FSU saw student enrollment grow by 7 percent.

Fayetteville State administrators attribute the growth to better promotion of university success stories.

Jon Young, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, points to “a nationally ranked school of business, a school of education that’s regularly identified by the U.S. Department of Education as one of the best in the country and a 100 percent pass rate for our nursing exam” as examples.

FSU is also targeting a different type of student.

"There’s more and more students 24 years or older who want to return to school,” Young said. “Now, many of those are military affiliated, either veterans or soldiers or their spouses.”

Traditional students say they continue to enjoy the family atmosphere created by the smaller HBCU setting.

“Because it’s a small school, everybody’s so close together,” student Ranfford Bellamy said. “You have that one-on-one time with your teachers. You actually get to know your advisor. At a lot of big schools, you’re just a number.”