Keene State College is projecting an undergraduate enrollment of just under 3,000 students for the upcoming academic year, signaling a continued upward trend after several years of decline. The momentum builds on last fall’s enrollment increase—the first in at least eight years—and a 94.5% fall-to-spring retention rate, pointing to growing student satisfaction and campus stability.
This positive trajectory was on display during Admitted Student Day on Friday, April 4, when the college welcomed 230 prospective students to campus. College officials highlighted Keene State’s strong sense of community, accessible faculty and robust financial aid as key reasons behind the school’s renewed appeal.
“What we really try to emphasize is the community,” said MB Lufkin, vice president of enrollment and student engagement. “It’s the people—it’s the faculty, the staff and the students who are so incredible—that make it an amazing place to be.”
Lufkin said she attributes the recent enrollment success to a combination of factors, including the strength of Keene State’s academic programs, its supportive campus culture and efforts to deepen student engagement. Events like Admitted Student Day serve as an important opportunity to showcase these elements to potential students and their families.
For prospective students like Aiden Jeske of Pembroke, N.H., that message resonates. Jeske said he was drawn to the college’s hands-on learning and the chance to build meaningful relationships with professors.
“I’m majoring in elementary education, so I’m just looking to go into the field and learn hands-on, more than just in a classroom,” Jeske said. “They [Keene State] have more of a connection with their students, and when you’re in the classroom, you can have more connection with your teachers.”
In addition to bolstering its on-campus experience, Keene State has shifted its recruitment strategy to focus more heavily on in-state students. This approach reflects a broader trend across New England, where many states are working to retain their own students through scholarships and tuition incentives. Still, Keene State remains committed to appealing to students from beyond New Hampshire’s borders.
“Some of our neighboring states have been offering really attractive incentives to try to keep their students in-state as well,” Lufkin said. “So we’re battling against that and trying to attract those students to come to Keene State. We have some programs that have financial aid packages attached to them to try to encourage the out-of-state students to come. But on par, we are seeing more in-state students attend.”
The enrollment picture at Keene State reflects broader patterns across the University System of New Hampshire. According to Lufkin, Plymouth State University is also reporting similar deposit numbers for the upcoming fall semester. However, last year’s FAFSA delays complicated the financial aid process nationwide, throwing a wrench into what would have otherwise been a more predictable admissions cycle.
“Plymouth is on par with where they were for deposits for the fall,” Lufkin said. “Last year was a little bit of an anomaly because of the FAFSA debacle with the challenges with FAFSA.”
While Keene State has worked to make college more affordable through aid, rising tuition costs remain a concern for many students. For first-year student Delaney O’Neil, the recent tuition increases have raised doubts.
“I find it frustrating that the college continues to raise tuition,” O’Neil said. “One of the main reasons I chose Keene State in the first place was because the tuition was more affordable compared to my other options. Now that they’re increasing the cost, it feels like it goes against the very reason I decided to attend.”
Lufkin acknowledged these concerns but stressed the value of a Keene State education and the college’s commitment to supporting students financially.
“We have had some questions about the increase in tuition, and I think the message that we try to always talk to students about is the value of education and making sure that we have a robust financial aid process,” she said. “100% of students that attend Keene State get some type of financial aid.”
Yet financial aid is not the only factor shaping student decisions. In recent years, Keene State has grappled with budget deficits that led to staffing and funding cuts in programs like languages and humanities, according to previous Equinox reporting. Despite the challenges, Lufkin emphasized the college’s ongoing commitment to those departments.
“We still have those programs, and we’re committed to those programs,” she said. “The overall experience at Keene State would make it worth it to come here to study those programs. We have exemplary faculty in those programs and opportunities to do research—even as a first-year student—which is something that you won’t get at many other institutions.”
While some departments face constraints, Lufkin said others continue to thrive and attract interest. Longstanding strengths like the education program remain a centerpiece of Keene State’s academic offerings.
“What we try to emphasize are those programs that we know have significant interest from students,” Lufkin said. “We’re well-known for our education program—many education majors here. We’re also really well-known for psychology, criminal justice and our SPDI [Sustainable Product Design and Innovation] program is picking up emphasis.”
For families considering their options, these standout programs and Keene State’s student-centered approach can make a strong impression. Adam Kerwin, the parent of a prospective student, said the college’s reputation for quality education, particularly in teaching, stands out.
“We’ve talked to a lot of people in and around New Hampshire about education programs at different schools, and Keene’s at the top of that list,” said Kerwin.
Elías Stowell Alemán can be contacted at
estowellaleman@kscequinox.com
