SACKVILLE, NB — Mount Allison University’s full-time student enrolment has increased by nearly four per cent for the 2021-22 academic year. The University welcomed 2,288 full-time students plus 91 part-time students this year. This is the third consecutive year the University has seen an enrolment increase.

“We are pleased to welcome even more new and returning students to the Mount Allison campus safely over the course of the pandemic,” says Mount Allison University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Jean-Paul Boudreau. “Over the last three years the University has embarked on a number of new projects and initiatives to help meet the needs of today’s students and prepare them for a myriad of career paths, some not yet known. This includes the launch of 20 new academic programs, increased supports for student financial aid, and commitments to ensuring our university community is welcoming and inclusive for all. I would like to thank all students, from across Canada and globally, who chose Mount Allison for their post-secondary education.”

In 2020, and again this year, Mount Allison safely welcomed the majority of its students back to campus, implementing several programs and supports to ensure both student and community safety during the pandemic. This year the University has continued to offer a hybrid of online and in-person class offerings.

Mount Allison was also the first school in Atlantic Canada to implement a mandatory vaccination policy for community members in August 2021. To date, 96% of the University community who come to campus — students, faculty, and staff — are fully-vaccinated. Individuals who are not able to get vaccinated undergo regular testing on campus.

The University has seen growth in a number of academic areas for new full-time enrolment, including Arts, up nine per cent, and Aviation, offered in conjunction with the MFC Training, in which enrolment grew by 60 per cent. Science, Commerce, Fine Arts, and Music also continue to be popular programs.

Mount Allison, in partnership with MFC Training based in Moncton, NB, has offered a Bachelor of Science in aviation degree program since 2008. Students complete a bachelor’s degree and earn their commercial pilot’s license. In 2019, the University introduced a Bachelor of Commerce – Aviation degree program.

The Commerce — Aviation degree is one of 20 new or revamped academic programs announced in the last three years, bringing its total offerings to more than 50 academic programs. New areas include Community Engaged Learning, Biopsychology, and Health Studies, an interdisciplinary degree program set to be launched in 2022 (pending MPHEC approval).

“Seeing growth in a number of programs is encouraging and helps us in the development of further opportunities, such as post-graduate studies and career-ready employment opportunities, for students,” says Boudreau. “We also welcomed more students from Ontario, Western Canada, as well as internationally, which brings different experiences and perspectives to our campus. This will continue to be our focus in years to come.”

Enrolment statistics for all Atlantic Canadian universities were published by the Association of Atlantic Universities on Oct. 15, 2021: www.atlanticuniversities.ca (Statistics)