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JACKSON, Miss. (September 25, 2025)— ºÚÁÏÉç is celebrating record enrollment this fall, with approximately 4,500 students enrolled across its traditional, online, and graduate programs. The growth marks a significant increase from 4,005 students in 2024 and continues a steady five-year trend of rising enrollment.

University President Dr. Roger Parrott, who has led Belhaven since 1995, noted that the numbers have not only rebounded from last year’s dip but reached new heights in the institution’s history.

“When I began as Belhaven’s president 30 years ago, we had around 800 students,” Parrott said. “Today, I’m overjoyed with the number of enrollment highs we have reached because it represents our effectiveness in serving students with a quality, Christ-centered education. Our record growth reflects the strength of our academic programs, quality of our faculty, coaches, and staff. Belhaven’s service-focused environment draws students from every background to this university.”

This fall, Belhaven welcomed nearly 1,050 traditional undergraduate students, surpassing the 1,000 mark for the first time since 2018. In addition, the university enrolled approximately 740 online undergraduate students and 2,600 students in online graduate and doctoral programs.

Since 2021, Belhaven’s total enrollment has increased by 4%, while the freshman population has grown by 22%. Retention has also shown strong gains, with the university’s retention rate rising 49% compared to last year.

Parrott noted that the university’s efforts to strengthen both the arts and athletics have continued to shape the student experience, with growing numbers in the arts and an expected increase in students who are involved in neither athletics nor the arts.

Parrott credited the record-breaking numbers to Belhaven’s ability to adapt to student needs while staying rooted in its mission. “Our enrollment growth is also the result of academically staying ahead of where the career market is headed,” he said. “Whether it’s launching cutting-edge programs like our AI master’s degree or ensuring our students are well-supported on campus, we’ve been intentional about adapting to career demands of the future, while never wavering in our Christ-centered mission.”

Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing Suzanne Sullivan said the growth demonstrates Belhaven’s strong reputation and community spirit. “The growth in enrollment is exciting—it shows that students, whether on campus or online, undergraduate or graduate, clearly recognize the value of a Belhaven education. With so many options available, we are truly honored when students choose to join our community. At a time when many schools have faced closures, achieving a 4% increase in total enrollment in the last five years is a blessing. It takes, not only the enrollment and marketing teams, but the whole campus working together to be successful.”