CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) – Freshman enrollment at Southeast Missouri State University has seen a boost of a little more than 10 percent this year compared to 2015.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/2c2TeF0 ) reports that overall enrollment has increased by just more than 1 percent.

The school’s total enrollment is 11,536.

Officials say the school has seen a 24 percent increase in African-American students and a more than 30 percent increase in Hispanic students compared to last fall.

University president Carlos Vargas calls the increase a result of “the perfect storm,” of a major rebranding effort, innovative teaching and increased target marketing to areas like St. Louis and parts of Illinois.
Administrators hired a marketing company to help with mailers for prospective students. The school also unveiled new signs, literature and online marketing last year.