PRESS RELEASE
Brian Lowry
Director of Communication and Public Relations
219-473-4217
blowry@ccsj.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WHITING, IN—Calumet College of St. Joseph welcomed its largest incoming class in 11 years, surpassing last year’s decade-high enrollment total by 5%. Total enrollment for the institution is 681, which is 3.5% higher than last year’s fall headcount.

“We attribute the increase to a number of things,” said Johnny Craig, Senior Vice President for Enrollment, Marketing and Athletics, “degrees that attract students, the opportunity to play collegiate sports, closer collaboration with local high schools and an expanding international footprint have all contributed to the larger incoming class.”

Business Management and Kinesiology are the two most popular majors for incoming freshman.

“I chose to become a business major because it will provide me the skills to operate my own business,” said Sir’Cory Brookins, an incoming freshman from Louisville KY, “and I chose CCSJ because there is a lot going on here. It is exciting. But even with all of that, my teachers take the time to work with me one-on-one. I’ve had a very good experience so far.”

After a COVID-driven decline in student headcount during 2020, overall enrollment was boosted by the addition of a sprint football team in 2022. Calumet College of St. Joseph is a founding member of the Midwest Sprint Football League, which adheres to all the rules of American football, with the exception that players must weigh less than 178 pounds. The sprint football team is one of 16 athletic teams at the college.

The opportunity to engage in intercollegiate athletics attracts not only regional prospects, but opens the door to international students. The college currently enrolls students from 14 countries: Belize, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chile, Dominican Republic, Finland, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, Spain and Venezuela.

Calumet College of St. Joseph’s growth occurs at a time when many schools are facing an “enrollment cliff” brought about by lower college-going rates and a decline in births following 2008’s Great Recession.

“At a time when many of our peer institutions are shuttering, we thrive by focusing on our mission of service,” said President Amy McCormack. “This mission calls us to reach out to those populations who have not traditionally attended college. This approach can surface issues related to retention, but it reminds us to see every student as an individual and it challenges us to meet their unique needs.”

Calumet College of St. Joseph is a graduate and undergraduate degree-granting institution sponsored by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

About Calumet College of St. Joseph
Calumet College of St. Joseph is a small, private Catholic University in Northwest Indiana accredited by the Higher Learning Commission offering associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Its emphasis on social justice, service and community, along with its commitment to equity, diversity and critical thinking, shape the whole-person education its students receive.

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