Enrollment at the St. Thomas College of Education, Leadership and Counseling increased 15.7 percent to 1,262 enrolled students, giving the college the largest graduate enrollment numbers at the university this year.

Mark Salisbury, the college’s dean, said the rise is a result of external factors like the economy.

“People are going back to school because the economy’s better,” Salisbury said. “We’re benefiting from that, as other educational institutes are.”

Salisbury said another contributing factor was St. Thomas reputation as a leader in education, leadership and counseling.

“St. Thomas is starting to be known as the place to go for students and professionals,” he said. “That makes us a place that attracts them to come here and join the efforts that we’re doing.”

This leadership role includes supporting diversity and reimagining education through new course offerings and minority placements. The college will also be hosting an upcoming TEDx event to encourage discussion of education.

“We’ve really upped the ante on our commitment to diversity,” Salisbury said. “As a college, we should promote looking at how education should be.”

Junior Emma Lindley, an education major, said she thinks this leadership role and advocacy for change will recruit a variety of people.

“This generation is very into big changes and changes in ways of thinking, so I think that draws a lot of people,” Lindley said. “It will bring the recognition that the school is more diverse and has a lot of opportunities.”

Salisbury said the college is noticing the results of the university’s marketing campaign that started a few years ago. He said the campaign allows the college to show everything it offers and to step up as a leader in the education community.

Enrollment Director Kimberly Herrema said the marketing focused on the college’s network of students and faculty to draw people in.

“It’s a community of lifelong learners that you are working with,” Herrema said. “Our faculty work really hard to forge those relationships with our students, and I think that carries over to the people hearing about it and coming in.”

Junior education major Will Abbott said the college’s community atmosphere made the education program appealing to him.

“I’ve loved all the professors I’ve had, and I think they deserve most of this credit,” Abbott said. “They do a great job of sharing their experiences, good and bad, in the field with us and helping us grow as teachers.”

In addition, Herrema said enrollment has increased in the variety of options the college has for students. The college saw growth in all of its different departments, including the options for off-campus and online classes.

“Flexibility is really important,” Herrema said. “It sends the message that we’re trying to meet students where they are.”

Herrema said these programs and evening classes are designed to attract working professionals. Sophomore education major Mara Cavanaugh said she has seen the effects of this in her classes.

“A lot of adults are coming back,” Cavanaugh said, “adults that are in the workforce now that want to try something new.”

In the future, Salisbury said the college hopes to encourage even higher enrollment by maintaining its position as a leader in education.

“We take this seriously about working with our legacy here and working with all our success,” Salisbury said.

Rebecca Mariscal can be reached at mari2162@stthomas.edu.