SOSU: record breaking spring semester enrollment

DURANT, Oklahoma (KXII) - Southeastern Oklahoma State University has broken their record for spring semester enrollment this year, with over five thousand attending classes online or in person.

For the first time in campus history, the college has over 5,010 students enrolled.

“She was like, ‘I think it’d be a really good fit for you’ and I came down and toured, and I absolutely fell in love with the campus and faculty- just everything about it” said Mekenzie Cruz.

SOSU student Mekenzie Cruz is from Tulsa. She says she loves her new college, but acknowledges the school year has been different.

“It’s definitely been a little odd in a way, being so separated from everybody and all my classes” Cruz said.

Cruz is studying theater, a major she says requires her to be in close proximity with her classmates.

“We’re still trying to figure out the rehearsal process. We did have a season last semester that I absolutely loved, but it was different because we made sure everyone was spaced out and we acted with face masks and face shields” said Cruz.

She says she owes it all to her teachers for making her feel safe.

“It’s really a testament to the flexibility and the dedication of our faculty and staff who really have done an amazing job during such a difficult time, of making sure that we’re still able to provide a high quality, (and) still very engaging experience for our students” said SOSU president Dr. Thomas Newsom.

Dr. Newsom says seeing this record enrollment is amazing, especially during the pandemic.

“We have representation from forty-nine different states across America, (and) fifty-six different countries world-wide” Dr. Newsom said.

He says students are given the choice to take classes in person, online or a hybrid of the two.

“I think we’ve been very intentional in terms of providing students information about how curriculums are going to be delivered,” Dr. Newsom said. “And we let the students decide what works best for them.”

It’s the reason why Cruz says she’s ready to return to the classroom.

“(We’re) Emphasizing the use of face masks in buildings and social distancing in classes” Cruz said. “Really, they’re giving us the resources that we need to be successful during this time.”

SOSU offers 45 academic programs, each with different styles of learning, and the campus prides itself on offering something for every student.

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