Ask any longtime Vermillion resident about the summers in their town and the first thing that comes up is how quiet it is without the students.

And just how many students?

Well the number of first-time, full-time students at the University of South Dakota increased to 1,427 students – the largest enrollment class in USD history and an increase of 6.4 percent over last year’s freshmen enrollment. That according to President Sheila Gestring.

By the numbers USD has seen an 8.4 increase in enrollment from students out of Iowa.  A 25 percent increase from Nebraska.

Not to be out done enrollment by students from South Dakota increased by 7.2 percent.

This has put the occupancy rate at 99.73 percent.

“Offering resident tuition rates to incoming students from Iowa and Nebraska has been critical to our success,” Gestring said. “This is significant for South Dakota and its workforce goals, because more than 30 percent of non-resident students who attend a South Dakota public university stay in the state after graduation, making USD one of the most effective workforce recruiters.”

Gestring said she is thrilled to see continued strong numbers for this year’s class of first-time, full-time students.

Courtesy of Michelle Cwach

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