We were extraordinarily pleased this week, along with a great many others in Superiorland, to learn that Northern Michigan University’s enrollment report for the winter semester shows an increase of 330 students, or 5.3%, compared to the same time in 2023.

The university’s overall head count is 6,657.

And here’s what makes this even better: Most of the enrollment increases have been in the university’s graduate education and our Global Campus offerings, which are both seeing significant growth in the last year, said Jason Nicholas, assistant provost and director for institutional effectiveness.

“We are also seeing positive strides in our continuing students (numbers). Every year, we have some students with unfinished business who don’t return for many reasons,” Nicholas said in a press release on this topic. “This year, we are seeing a little less of that, with those who have not yet completed their degrees re-enrolling at higher rates.”

Here’s some specific numbers readers can consider: Graduate enrollment increased by about 22%, to 629 total. Global Campus, which offers online-only programs, has 307 more students than last year, an increase of nearly 60%.

The most recent statistics build on positive strides from the fall semester, when Northern reported increases of almost 10% for new freshmen and 15% for both new transfers and graduate students.

All of this boils down, we believe, to hard work including offering a good product for a fair price.

NMU officials deserve kudos for this news.

— The Mining Journal, Marquette