Mount Marty Enrollment Grows by 5% in Fall 2023

Mount Marty University is beginning the new academic year with 5% more students than last year, marking seven consecutive years of enrollment growth at South Dakota’s Catholic, Benedictine university. The official headcount is now 926 degree-seeking students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels at campuses in Yankton, Sioux Falls and Watertown.

“Mount Marty’s continued growth is extraordinary, especially at a time when other schools are seeing smaller incoming classes and, in some cases, reducing majors and employees,” said Mount Marty President Dr. Marcus Long. “We are adding new programs and attracting more students. The energy here is real, and we’re excited about this sustained momentum.”

New to Mount Marty this fall is a master of science in biotechnology program, based in Sioux Falls, which enrolled 26 new students. Dr. Mark Brown, professor and program director of biotechnology, believes that Mount Marty’s values and the region’s significant growth in biotechnology are a natural fit. “We’re creating a program that will meet the future staffing needs of an industry that is rapidly growing, and we’re doing it while infusing Benedictine values into the curriculum. I am so pleased to be part of this University and contributing to the pharmaceutical field in this way.”

At its Yankton campus, Mount Marty continued to grow undergraduate enrollment with strong interest across South Dakota and Nebraska. “We know that students have a wide variety of options for higher education, and our continued success in enrollment at Mount Marty shows the strength of our Benedictine values and academic programs,” said Greg Franz, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management & Marketing.” The average entering student GPA is 3.55, said Franz, up from last year’s 3.39 GPA.

Long said that Mount Marty is being sustainable in its growth. “We’re educating students in areas that this region needs, while being committed to our mission. I am so grateful for the work of so many at MMU and for the students and families for recognizing what a special place Mount Marty University is.”

 ###

About Mount Marty University
Founded in 1936 by the Sisters of Sacred Heart Monastery, Mount Marty University is South Dakota's only Catholic, Benedictine institution of higher education. Located along the bluffs of the Missouri River in Yankton, with additional locations in Watertown and Sioux Falls, Mount Marty offers undergraduate and graduate degrees focusing on student and alumni success in high-demand fields such as health sciences, education, criminal justice, business, accounting, recreation management, and more. A community of learners in the Benedictine tradition, Mount Marty emphasizes academic excellence and develops well-rounded students with intellectual competence, professional and personal skills and moral, spiritual and social values. To learn more, visit mountmarty.edu.