Members of the Class of 2029 are pictured.

The State University of New York at Fredonia is poised to welcome 3,156 students for the start of the Fall 2025 semester, signaling enrollment stability at a time when many colleges and universities are facing steep declines from the national “enrollment cliff.”

The total of 3,156 students on Saturday is slightly ahead of last year’s total at the same point in time. The incoming class includes 990 first-year, transfer, and new graduate students. Total graduate enrollment is up 17% compared to last year, and almost 50% from three years ago, reflecting Fredonia’s growing strength in advanced degree programs.

“This year’s enrollment demonstrates encouraging stability at a moment when higher education is navigating significant demographic and financial pressures,” said Dr. Kathryn Kendall, vice president for enrollment management and services. “Alongside a strong incoming class, our graduate enrollment continues to rise, and our first-year student retention rate of 79 percent is well above the national average. These measures reflect the resilience of our campus community, and the value students find here.”

Fredonia President Stephen H. Kolison Jr. said Fredonia’s progress is especially meaningful in today’s higher education climate.

“Across the nation, numerous institutions are facing the impact of the enrollment cliff — but at Fredonia, we are stabilizing and even seeing some growth in critical areas like graduate education. One example is our Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, which has grown from 11 students in 2023 to at least 70 students enrolled this year,” Kolison said. “Students and families are choosing Fredonia because they see a university where support and opportunity go hand-in-hand, and where graduates leave not only with a degree, but with the skills, confidence, and connections that lead directly to careers in their chosen fields.”

The incoming class of first-year students arrives with an average high school GPA of 90, underscoring the academic quality of the students choosing Fredonia. The incoming class represents communities across New York state and 14 other states. New international students come from Belgium, Canada, Columbia, Ecuador, Italy, Iceland, Norway, Japan, and Germany.

During Friday’s annual clock tower walk and class photo, new students cited Fredonia’s welcoming environment, broad academic offerings, and supportive atmosphere as reasons for choosing the university.

“When I first visited, it was not too small to the point where I couldn’t spread my wings, but not too big that I felt insignificant,” said C.J. Provencial, of Lagrangeville, N.Y., who considered four other schools before choosing Fredonia. While he has not yet declared a major, Provencial is leaning toward Animation and Illustration, with career aspirations in the animation industry and hopes of becoming an art director.

Emma Camus, of Eden, said Fredonia’s very presence stood out to her. “It was the nicest campus, honestly,” she said. “I liked the faculty as well; they were very accommodating when I met with them.” Camus is majoring in Communication Disorders and Sciences and plans to join the theater club, building on her high school musical experience. Camus also has long-term goals of enrolling in Fredonia’s graduate program in Speech Pathology and becoming a speech therapist.

Robert Mashtare, of Buffalo, said he already felt connected to Fredonia before enrolling. “I have a lot of friends from high school who came here, and I also know teachers who completed their master’s degrees here,” he said. Mashtare described the campus as having a home-like “community vibe.” “Everybody’s very together; it feels like one big community, both the campus and the area around the campus,” he added. A Physics and Adolescence Education: Physics major, Mashtare plans to be active in the physics, engineering, and writing clubs, and hopes to pursue a career as a physics teacher or university researcher.

For Dunkirk native Andre Mendez, Fredonia offered the right fit to begin his journey toward becoming a physician. “I want to be a doctor, so I’ve got a lot of schooling ahead of me, a lot of hard work,” said Mendez, who is majoring in Biology. “Fredonia’s always been here, and I’ve seen a lot of people go through here and be successful here.”

Classes for the Fall 2025 semester begin today.