A record number of students will receive diplomas Saturday at Iowa State University’s commencement ceremony. The large number of December graduates reflects the overall enrollment figures at the school.
“Iowa State for the nine-past years has had record enrollments," says Laura Doering, the Iowa State University registrar. "In consideration of that, a decade ago we were 11,000 students smaller.”
Doering says the university is also retaining more students.
“This year’s one-year retention rate was 87.1, which exceeds the 10-year average,” she says.
ISU is expecting more than 2,000 students will receive diplomas Saturday. The ceremony will include students receiving bachelor’s, masters’ and doctoral degrees. Around 80 of them wrapped up their studies over the summer.