Photo by Linda Relyea
Brittany Laske, left, moves
in to Petteys Hall with help from brother Sam and friend Mara Schwiesow.

When Joey Murphy stepped off the airplane at Alamosa Regional Airport on Tuesday to begin his first semester as a student at Adams State University, two of the University’s welcome ambassadors were there to greet him and even escort him to the local Walmart to do some shopping.

When Ryan Jewe joined the staff at Adams State in August, having arrived in Alamosa from Orange County, Calif., he didn’t hesitate to embrace the community, showing up at last weekend’s Kaboom playground build to support Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley, along with other Adams State volunteers.

You can say things are changing at Adams State.

The University opens its 2018-19 academic year on Monday, and with the new school year comes momentum and a fresh can-do spirit emanating from the University that has long sat at the "Top of the nation."

Consider:

  • Incoming freshmen numbers are up from a year ago, with Adams State so far enrolling 435 new freshmen compared to 392 in 2017.
  • Transfer student numbers are up from a year ago, going to 138 transfer students in 2018 from 127 this time last year.

Adams State’s official student census date is Sept. 5, which allows for it to account for ongoing registration as well as students who start and then drop out. The most challenging number will be returning students, which has gotten smaller over the past several years as Adams State struggled with growing its freshmen classes, and may offset the gains in this year’s new freshmen and transfer student populations.

What can be reported for now is a total student headcount that includes undergraduate on-campus and online students, as well as students taking courses via Adams State’s correspondence program.

Heading into Monday and the first day of class, Adams State has 1,849 total undergraduate students compared to 1,716 a year ago. That figure includes 61 high school students who are taking concurrent college classes, an increase from 27 high school students concurrently enrolled a year ago.


Photo by Linda Relyea
From right, Lathan Tsalate, Snowy Coleman, and Aaron Davis, new student orientation leaders spend an afternoon in training preparing for the arrival of freshman.

Again, momentum.

We’re excited to engage our students and make a connection with them,” said Adams State President Cheryl D. Lovell, Ph.D. “We’re excited for the academic start to the semester and to do what Adams State does best, which is transform the lives of its students through academic excellence and enrichment.”

Hired on a 12-month contract in July, Dr. Lovell is setting a new tone by calling for “all hands on deck” when students and their families begin arriving on Thursday to move into dorms, take up residence in Alamosa, and begin acquainting or re-acquainting themselves with the San Luis Valley. The University’s effort will be to create a welcoming and supportive environment as students are dropped off and families head back home.

The University has hired 15 new faculty and 27 new staff members following its Financial Action Plan adopted last spring by the Adams State Board of Trustees.

Adams State has also put new programs in place to continue to attract both traditional and non-traditional students.

It is launching the ASU Evening/Weekend Associate Degree program, which allows students to complete a two-year degree solely by taking courses on weekends or evenings. Interested students, including those with current college credits, should contact the Adams State Admissions office to inquire about the Evening/Weekend program.

The University also has put in place a student artist-in-residency program. It allows for a rotation of visual and performing artists to set up residency at Adams State and complete new projects, begin collaborations, or spark new ideas. So far, seven artists have been selected for the program.

“This is a great time to be at Adams State,” said President Lovell. “Our goal now is to demonstrate to the students, and their families, that they made the right choice in selecting Adams State. It all begins this weekend as students settle into the campus and prepare for a great semester of academic work.”