In the spring of 2021, college enrollment was down nationwide. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, overall spring enrollment saw a decline of 3.5 percent. Despite that, Siena College is preparing for its biggest class of incoming freshmen to date.
“When I visualized myself at a college, this was the one,” said incoming freshman Olivia Witkowski.
Katie Szalda, the school’s instructor of admissions, credits the higher numbers to the personalized visits it offers — especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have them see what their life would be like as a Saint based on their interests, their hobbies, their passions. So it’s very personal,” Szalda said. “We were also open last year; we know the power of a visit. A junior or senior in high school, you gotta get on a college campus, you gotta feel it, you gotta experience it.”
Olivia knew this was the place for her after seeing a Siena basketball game as a freshman in high school.
“I was a big fan of their Division I athletics, and that was a deciding factor for me, because I wanted to study sports media, and I wanted to do that at the highest level possible,” said Witkowski.
Like every college-bound teenager, the leadup to the fall semester comes with mixed emotions.
“I’m nervous, in all honesty, but excited mostly. I can’t wait to get to work, that’s the big thing,” said Witkowski.
Siena staffers know they have a lot of work to do to foster a smooth transition for more than 1,000 new students.
“This year, more than ever, just going through the pandemic, we know our incoming freshmen haven’t been in the classroom probably for a year to a year and a half,” said Szalda. “Some haven’t been in classes at all — they’ve been doing solely online. Some have been having a hybrid of in-person.
“So we are really being intentional in terms of having a more robust orientation, so our students, when they transition to campus — it’s an easier transition and we’re focusing on what their needs are.”
Classes start the Tuesday after Labor Day.
