In a university town such as Athens, Georgia, the undergraduate population enhances the community’s dynamism. Students engage as volunteers for local nonprofit organizations, serve as student-teachers in K-12 educational settings, and participate in the workforce as employees of nearby enterprises. They also play an essential role in the mission and culture of the University of Georgia.

Last autumn, to bolster and strategize for student life, the university introduced its first enrollment strategy since 2007. This initiative will guarantee that UGA’s resources, services, and infrastructure meet the needs of the student body.

“UGA’s competitive edge lies in the fact that Athens boasts one of the finest campus environments in the country,” remarked Andy Borst, UGA’s vice provost for enrollment management. “UGA acts as a talent magnet, attracting exceptional students, faculty, and staff to the area, and Athens is a significant attraction for them.”

The strategic enrollment initiative aims for UGA to maintain the size of its first-year cohort for the subsequent five years while broadening online offerings and gradually increasing the number of graduate and transfer students.

The university’s online programs have demonstrated effectiveness in educating and retaining learners. Indeed, many of UGA’s offerings have been ranked among the nation’s top 10 by U.S. News and World Report, with UGA’s Terry College of Business recognized as one of the top 10 overall best online master’s in business programs. Three of the Mary Frances Early College of Education’s online master’s programs were listed in the top five of their respective categories.

On campus, UGA’s enrollment is projected to increase by an average of 1 percent, adding approximately 600 new students in Athens each year — a number that corresponds to the capacity of just 24 rows in Sanford Stadium.

Throughout this five-year period, UGA intends to enhance campus facilities by constructing a new parking structure set to open in fall 2025, along with a new first-year residence hall and dining venue scheduled to launch in fall 2026. Borst mentioned that the new facilities will accommodate the first-year cohort and assist the university in increasing its capacity to house transfer and graduate students within existing structures.

UGA is also planning to recruit over 115 tenure-track faculty, along with additional non-tenure track staff, to facilitate anticipated expansion.

“We are fortunate in our situation. Interest from undergraduate and graduate students has reached record levels,” stated Borst. “This plan has been devised to ensure that our enrollment remains within the limits of campus and community resources.”

As the interest of prospective students in UGA continues to rise, the university maintains its commitment to students from Athens-Clarke County.

“We heavily recruit within the local community and have established excellent relationships with the counselors at Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central,” stated David Graves, UGA’s director of admissions.

Presently, over 190 of UGA’s undergraduate students who entered as new freshmen hail from the Clarke County School District.

“UGA Admissions exerts considerable effort and has achieved notable success in retaining our exceptional Athens-Clarke County students at UGA during their college years, as we have witnessed them accomplish great things both at Georgia and in their postgraduate endeavors,” remarked Graves.

Many of these students — along with their peers from other areas — choose to stay in Athens, establishing businesses, starting families, and making long-term contributions to the community. Nearly 31,000 residents of Athens are UGA alumni.

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