UMES welcomes largest class since 2019

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – Class sizes have been on an exponential rise at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

With the COVID-19 pandemic in the rear view, director of admissions and recruitment, Darryl Isom, said a lot of students are enrolling at the university, looking to get back that sense of normalcy in the classroom.

“We have over 900 first time freshmen and over 120 transfer students at this point,” Isom said. “COVID is always a factor when we talk about students engaging with each other and starting to matriculate at a college or a university; the students are indicating when they come back that they are happy to interact with their peers and being able to have a community again.”

This class is the biggest the institution has seen in 5 years, which is why Isom said staff will be offering adequate support to each student, for them to become well acclimated to the university, in turn contributing to their overall academic success.

“We like to say when students come to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore that they will encounter their success team, meaning that they will do well, they’re going to perform well, they’re going to graduate within 4 years or 5 years, depending on their program,” Isom said.

And with the school year in full swing for the Hawks, Isom said the professors are ready to educate the future leaders of Delmarva.

“We had to be intentional in bringing the students back, retaining the students, and having them be in an environment where they will be successful,” Isom said.