MSU exec predicts record increase in freshmen enrollment

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12 People You Need to Know in 2023: Zora Mulligan

Executive Insider: Zora Mulligan

As students arrive on campus for the fall semester, Missouri State University Executive Vice President Zora Mulligan is optimistic about enrollment – going so far as predicting the freshman class will mark a record percentage increase.

Mulligan spoke about the university's enrollment during a live interview yesterday with Springfield Business Journal Editorial Vice President Eric Olson. The 12 People You Need to Know event was held at The Backlot, Alamo Drafthouse Springfield's restaurant and bar.

"I think we're going to be looking at the largest percent increase in our freshmen class ever," Mulligan said, declining to predict figures for the upcoming semester until the count is official with the university.

MSU's fall semester starts Aug. 21.

"Our overall enrollment is likely to be a little bit better than flat," she said. "It's a mixed bag, but I'm counting it as a win."

Fall 2022 enrollment on MSU's Springfield campus was 23,307, down from 23,618 in 2021 and 24,163 in 2020, according to data on file with the school. The record of 24,390 was set in 2018.

The undergraduate total in fall 2022 was 19,083, a drop from 19,435 in same semester of 2021. The undergraduate record of 20,845 was set in 2017. The freshmen figure was 2,278 in fall 2022.

The official enrollment data for MSU is historically released in late September, though preliminary figures typically are unveiled shortly after the semester begins.

During the 12 People interview, Mulligan also discussed the collegiate value proposition amid a landscape of student loan forgiveness on the federal level and the growing appeal to enter the workforce immediately after high school.

"My life experience tells me that often there is a time in a person's career that you need to get a bachelor's degree," said Mulligan, who took MSU’s No. 2 administrative position last summer after six years working as commissioner of the state Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. "I think that the bachelor's degree remains very, very relevant.

"It's the most efficient way to learn all of the things that you need to learn to be successful in the world."