University of Memphis Lambuth dean explains record increase in enrollment

JACKSON, Tenn. — The University of Memphis Lambuth reported a 23% enrollment increase from last year, with 1,324 students enrolled for the fall semester, and the effects are already felt by students.

“More classes, more professors, more students, and now we’re even having more options in our cafeteria,” said nursing student Walker Williams.

Lambuth Campus Dean Niles Reddick cites two reasons for the increase. The first is dual enrollment from local high schools, which accounts for around 100 students.

“Prior to this we had no dual enrollment at Lambuth, so that has been a growing population of students, and it makes a lot of sense,” Reddick said.

The second is the expansion of the nursing program.

“It’s grown so much ever since I started, and ever since I started, I thought we were at the max, but we just keep going up every semester,” Williams said.

And the importance of the nursing program cannot be understated. It only started in 2011 with just 12 students on campus, and now, it’s grown to over 200 students enrolled.

Reddick says that most of the students at Lambuth are online, but hundreds of students still have on-campus instruction for certain classes and labs.

He adds that they’re unique since COVID-19 did not negatively affect enrollment like it has at other colleges.

“I don’t really know if that has translated into any negative or positive numbers for us,” Reddick said.

More enrollment means more state funding as well. And Reddick says they are on their way to another increase next year.

“If we continue to add some graduate programs that we’re waiting to add, we will see another significant bump next year in enrollment,” Reddick said.

The two local high schools the University of Memphis Lambuth is working with for dual enrollment programs are Sacred Heart of Jesus, and Trinity Christian Academy.