Indiana University East has another record-breaking enrollment with 4,573 students enrolled for the fall 2014 semester, up from 4,456 last fall.

This is the seventh consecutive fall the campus has experienced historic enrollment growth. Since fall 2007, IU East’s headcount enrollment has doubled.

IU East’s fall headcount of 4,573 represents a 2.6 percent increase compared to last year.

Students are enrolled in 42,050 credit hours this fall, a 3.8 percent increase over last year.

This fall’s percentage growth in headcount and credit hour enrollment is the largest among all IU campuses.

“This is a very exciting time to be at IU East. We have many projects going on right now – including the renovation of the quad area and a new collaborative classroom – that will enhance the overall educational and campus life experience for all of our students,” Chancellor Kathryn Cruz-Uribe said.

“The incoming freshman class is our largest bachelor’s degree seeking class in the campus’ history, demonstrating that more students in the region select IU East as the school of choice. We are proud to serve eastern Indiana and western Ohio, as well as the nation and the world, by providing an affordable, high-quality Indiana University degree.”

The new freshmen class at IU East is also the most diverse and most academically qualified that the campus has ever enrolled.

Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Larry Richards said more people are recognizing the value of a college education, both bachelor’s degree and master’s degree education, as well as post-secondary and post-graduate certificates, and are persisting to graduation.

“That we are able to increase our enrollments despite graduating a substantially larger number of students every year for the past five years is gratifying and a testament to the work and determination of all of our faculty, staff and students, as well as the efforts of the general public in continuing to emphasize the importance of advanced education,” Richards said.

Among degree-seeking students, enrollment increased 19.5 percent for Hispanic students and 9.2 percent for African-American students. Students enrolled this fall represent 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, 15 foreign countries, Hong Kong, and various military locations.

Classes started at IU East on August 25. Official enrollment numbers were released by Indiana University on September 3.