Alabama's only public liberal arts university is booming, adding sports teams

University of Montevallo campus (Photo: Larry Miller)

MONTEVALLO, Ala. — The University of Montevallo is experiencing quite a boom under the leadership of its relatively new president, Dr. John Stewart, who arrived on campus in 2010. Since then, the school has seen a dramatic increase in student enrollment, with a 25 percent boost in its freshman class. Overall growth in the total number of undergraduate students is six percent for the same period.

Alabama’s only public liberal arts university has managed to maintain its 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an average undergraduate class size of 21, even as other universities are having to pack more students into fewer classes in an effort to deal with budget concerns.

Dr. Stewart says has made increased enrollment coupled with maintaining high admission standards a priority. The average freshman retention rate, a key indicator of student satisfaction, is 75.3 percent.

“We are very proud that so many bright and promising college-bound students are choosing Montevallo,” said Stewart. “Thanks to a talented faculty and staff devoted to putting students first, we offer a vibrant and exciting family of learners.”

But even with the impressive level of individual attention students receive, the average Montevallo graduate still finishes with forty percent less debt than those at competing universities. With that in mind, it’s unsurprising that the university has routinely been ranked among “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S News & World Report. For 2013, Montevallo was listed as the 14th best public university in the South in its division and 37th overall in the South, up 22 spots from its 2007 ranking.

The university’s leadership says its recent growth can be attributed to new offerings at the school, whose rich heritage dates back to the late 1800s. A new minor in arts administration, for instance, is attracting students who wish to take administrative and leadership roles in arts organizations. Two new athletic teams have also been added, a women’s softball team and a new men’s track and field team, both of which will take the field in 2015.

“At a time when many small public universities are struggling to maintain undergraduate enrollments, we are very pleased to see our undergraduate enrollment continue to increase year-over-year.” said Rick Barth, UM’s vice president for enrollment management. “While we are very excited about the continued growth of the undergraduate enrollment over the last couple of years, we are even more excited about what the future holds. At the moment, our applications for next fall are over 30 percent higher than they were this time last year.”

But more than anything, Dr. Stewart said the university is focused on producing graduates who are prepared to immediately succeed in their career field of choice.

“Now more than ever, graduate and professional schools – and future employers – are focusing their attention on applicants who know how to think critically and communicate effectively. Instilling those life skills is part of our ethos here,” said Stewart. “Students recognize the value of small class sizes and the intimate, lifelong relationships they forge here at Montevallo.”

(Graphic below: UM’s recent growth)