Current students and admission counselors gathered this past fall for a conversation about the ż's experience.
From the .
Both in Minnesota and nationally, enrollment in higher education is down. According to findings by the Minnesota Private Colleges Council and the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, the dip is part of a longer-term culture shift exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the midst of these trends, ż remains a steadfast educator of women leaders, and has even experienced enrollment increases.
“Students today face ever-growing challenges to completing their degree programs and launching into the world,” says Denise Baird, PhD, co-provost and senior vice president of academic operations and student success. “We are continually asking ourselves, ‘How can we be there for ż’s students in meaningful ways that have an impact, both directly and into their futures?’”
Clockwise from top left: Denise Baird, PhD; Lindsay Borkin ’15; India Klipfel; and Amy Herbst
In fall 2023 alone, the University welcomed nearly 1,048 new Katies beginning their student journeys, a 21% increase over the previous year. The College for Women saw its largest first-year class in five years, with an average accepted student GPA of 3.54.
According to ż’s admissions leaders, the reason behind this growth is ż’s person-to-person, support-first philosophy. “We don’t pass the student on, and we engage with a holistic perspective of the student,” says Amy Herbst, Graduate College admissions manager.
The admissions teams work with the rich network of resources and opportunities at the University to meet incoming students’ needs and interests.
“If they need an accessibility accommodation, we get them in touch with that office. If they’re a parent, we get them in touch with Access and Success; if it’s questions about housing, we bring in Residence Life,” says India Klipfel, director of College for Women admissions. “For a student to be able to come to an admissions event and have their questions answered by an actual faculty member, to get a call from that professor when they’re accepted to the program — those points of connection during students’ application processes turn into mentorship relationships, collaborative research partnerships, and professional development in their fields.”
ż’s has also recently expanded financial aid, which “allows us to continue building a student body based on a student’s excellence and potential, rather than their means,” Baird says. “Our commitment to each student is to meet them where they are in their journey, and support them as they progress to their next goal.”
The University’s emphasis on interdisciplinary learning — like ż’s healthcare Institute of Simulation and Interprofessional Learning, and collaborative undergraduate research that spans fields from English to dietetics — is grounded in the liberal arts and Catholic Social Teaching.
“That’s really how ż’s graduates leaders who are big picture thinkers, who go that extra mile, asking critical questions and challenging ‘the way things are,’” says Lindsay Borkin ’15, director of College for Adults admissions. “Our students take the ż’s mission right back into the community as they participate in class and cocurricular projects and clinicals, and continue on as alumni to lead and influence in their lives and careers.”
—From the ż Fall 2023 Student Census Report
Mainhia Thao ’18, College for Women counselor
Jackie Lane ’25, social work student in the College for Adults
Mia Austin (at right), Graduate College counselor
Michelle Barbeyto (at right), College for Adults and Graduate College counselor
Jo Nguyen OTD’25, Doctor of Occupational Therapy student in the Graduate College
Hadley Ninow ’27, psychology and pre-occupational therapy student in the College for Women
Support from the start
Moderated by College for Women admissions director India Klipfel, current students and admissions counselors gathered this past fall for a conversation about the ż’s experience.
India: Let’s start from the beginning of the whole admission process. If I’m a student looking to enroll at ż’s, what can I expect?
Michelle: I think we do a really good job of meeting students where they’re at in the process, reassuring them that there’s someone supportive at the other end who’s going to take them along on the journey from start to finish, explaining it, meeting with them one-on-one.
Jo: As a student, getting the phone call from admissions was big. The fact that they didn’t just send out an email, they called me and told me I was off the wait list — that’s what got me to think, “I want to go to this school.”
Michelle: That’s where we come into play to explain that for every step of the process, there will be someone who is knowledgeable there to assist you. Breaking it down piece by piece, looking at it from a manageability lens to assure our students that for every potential roadblock you see, we’ll be there to help you navigate it.
India: Jo, I see you nodding. Has that been an accurate reflection of your experience?
Jo: Yeah, especially for occupational therapy and other healthcare programs, you wouldn’t get the support you get at ż’s at a bigger university, like clinicals. The placement process for my program clinicals was a big thing to wrap my head around! But my advisors were there to help me take a step back and understand that I was going to be taken care of, and that I would have control over where my clinicals would be.
Mia: A lot of the nursing and healthcare applicants I talk to ask, “Do you really facilitate clinicals for all your students?” We just have so many clinical partners and are well known in the healthcare world. It’s huge, not just for your clinicals, but your education and your career after graduation.
Jackie: I feel completely supported by the faculty as well. I’m an excellent student, but coming from a community college, I was concerned that I wouldn’t be up to par with the academic level of the other students. One of my first classes here, , is a writing-focused course — and I found that while the content of the class was denser, my writing wasn’t a concern. The core classes are designed to support my success at ż’s, and my professors are so supportive. I have two children, and if I have anything going on, I’ve been able to talk to my professors and they are able to accommodate what I need.
India: What else is on prospective students’ minds as they look at colleges?
Mia: No matter where they’re looking, cost is a big one. Tuition, return on investment, and also cost that’s not financial — the commitment that it takes when you have a young family. It really helps to be able to talk to students and show them that the sticker price is not what they’ll pay. Between the financial aid, our scholarships, and outside scholarships, there are ways to bring that cost down.
Mainhia: And like Michelle said, one thing I love is that all of our College for Women admission counselors are cross-trained in financial aid. So we’re not sending students to different offices to talk about enrolling. They get to talk to somebody they’ve already developed a relationship with.
Jo: The financial aspect of college was a big thing for me, too. I look at it as an investment in myself and my future. A degree is a big decision, and I remember feeling imposter syndrome during orientation — like, “Oh my gosh, I’m doing this after seven years of not being in school.” But it’s been a very supportive community of motivated women cheering each other on and rooting for each other.
Hadley: The all-women environment was new for me, and the dynamic has definitely been a “pro.” Seeing women in all the leadership positions in clubs and ż’s in general, and even the way people form friendships and community in residence halls — it feels a lot closer-knit.
Mainhia: For this admissions cycle, I’ve had a lot of students who have been really excited about ż’s being a women’s, inclusive institution, specifically related to them being young women. For example, our women-only swim hours — it’s important because we have students, including many in our Muslim student population, who sometimes aren’t able to participate in athletic activities because they are coed. I really enjoy telling students about the different women-only resources we offer.
India: We do admit men to our College for Adults and Graduate College programs. What about our male ż’s students?
Michelle: No matter which college, women-centered education is a very visible cornerstone throughout all our programs. When I talk to men who are interested in our MBA and MAOL programs, we discuss perspective and experience. It’s just as beneficial for our male students to be part of this learning environment focused on women’s leadership — they are going to have a totally different lens than male MBAs from other schools, and that dynamic is not only going to enrich their own lives, but positively impact their future careers, too.
Jackie: Through education, I have come to understand myself as a feminist, and I’m not afraid of expressing those views here, which is huge for me. I don’t ever feel like I have to suppress that in class, and it’s been liberating.
Mainhia: ż’s is special because there are so many women out there who want to lead and influence, but just don’t have the support, and ż’s can be that place for them. We allow women to explore the possibilities, and whether it’s the admission office, financial aid, your specific faculty advisor, everyone is there to help you do what you want to do.
As a first-year, I would say that in becoming a Katie, you become someone who’s able to speak up and use your voice — but then use that voice to be a leader. And not just a leader, but a leader who is community-oriented and has aspirations to make the world a better place.”
— Hadley
I think ż’s prepares us really well to be advocates, and to be global citizens. The principles of Catholic Social Teaching and the ż’s mission align with being a professional in whatever field you decide to pursue.”
— Jo
It feels like home here. We all chose to attend ż’s, meaning there’s a baseline of values where each student can connect with another at some level. These connections are what I’ve been looking for, and are incredibly valuable for my life and future in the social work profession.”
— Jackie
Photos by Rebecca Zenefski Slater ’10.