Having just arrived on campus, new enrollees for the fall semester smelled fresh paint, saw sawdust and observed evidence of renovation and new construction all over campus.
That was in 1978. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University campus had just opened its branch campus on north Willow Creek road in Prescott (the home campus for ERAU is located at Daytona Beach, Fla.).
Seven full-time and three part-time faculty members greeted 264 students who enrolled in just one degree program – a bachelor of science in aeronautical science (flying).
Now, 36 years later, the same visual and olfactory sensations greet enrolling and returning students: new and renovated facilities.
This fall, an all-time record-breaking class – 2,044 students – stepped on the 539-acre campus.
They have a choice of 19 bachelor of science degrees or two master’s degree programs offered through four colleges: College of Arts and Sciences, College of Aviation, College of Engineering and College of Security and Intelligence.
The latter is the first and only college of its type of any university in the United States.
More renovation and expansion is on the way.
Because of record enrollment – up 10 percent from last year, and 22 percent from five years ago – university officials have some big plans ahead for the world’s premier leader in aviation and aerospace education.
Why Pick ERAU in Prescott?
Chancellor Frank Ayers, who took over the leadership position at the Prescott campus in 2012, is firmly convinced that ERAU students have learned the value of a STEM campus – Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. He says they understand the genuine job potential, which can lead to highly successful professional careers.
“We at ERAU want to position itself as a leading STEM university. All our degrees, undergraduate and graduate, are science degrees,” he said.
Ayers continued, “Because of that, our graduates are highly sought after. Nationally, we rank in the 95th percentile for job placement of graduating students. What’s really worth noting is that our Prescott campus is listed in the top one percent of all private colleges for return on education investment by Affordable Colleges Online.”
Ayers, prior to becoming a university professor and administrator, had been a 26-year B-52 instructor-pilot, chief of the Joint Military Education Policy program at the Pentagon, and a base commander.
He notes just one example of how ERAU is a world leader, as perhaps illustrated through the unmanned aircraft research (UAS) in full swing at the Prescott, Daytona Beach and Worldwide campuses.
Other reasons for attracting a record number of students were suggested by the Dean of Enrollment Management, Bryan Dougherty.
“We’ve been quite successful in retaining our students these past few years. I think that’s attributable to a highly dedicated faculty and staff. These persons are committed to making the concerns and interests of individual students their own.”
Dougherty added, “We also have expanded the extra-curricular activities on campus. We have more than 100 clubs and organizations. We have a terrific intercollegiate athletic program, and we’ll increase to 10 sports for men and women next year. And we’ve modified or expanded our various facilities to meet real needs and desires of our students.”
Meeting Current and Future Needs
The constant upward enrollment trend the past few years has created a few challenges, according yo Ayers and Dougherty.
“We have consistently been at capacity in dormitories the past few years. This year, we rented a full dorm from Prescott College and put 32 ERAU students in it,” Ayers said. “But you’ll soon see construction begin on a new $14 million dorm. The three-story high dorm will literally be ‘state of the art’ in living facilities, complete with a fitness center and other appropriate amenities.”
Ayers estimates it will take a year to complete that project, which tentatively is scheduled to open in January 2015.
Ayers also noted that this fall, some students volunteered to “triple up” in the Thumb Butte living complex.
Ayers spoke of his hopes, very preliminary, for a 40,000- to 50,000-square-foot “STEM” building. “To say anything further would be premature, for we’re on the front edge of this multimillion project. But conceptually, we envision it as including everything that is embodied in a STEM concept. In addition to our own students, we would want high school students from throughout Arizona and the region to become familiar with it so they can plan for their own future STEM educational interests,” Ayers said.
In the meantime, to accommodate this year’s enrollment increases, Dougherty said that throughout campus, facilities were renovated or expanded. Increased capacity was added to dining halls. One example is the contemporary WOW Café in the Student Union Building.
Of course, more students mean more faculty and staff. Just fewer than 20 new employees were hired during the last employment cycle to accommodate the increases.
Where Do They Come From and Who Are They?
Data released by Dean Dougherty reveal that the record-breaking enrollment represents all 50 states and 34 foreign countries. The top 10 states represented are California, Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Hawaii, Illinois and Idaho.
The largest foreign student enrollment comes from Saudi Arabia, with 96 students. India has the next largest representation with 18 students. The Republic of Korea and the United Arab Emirates each are represented by 14 students. Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Nigeria and Singapore are each represented by five students. The balance of foreign student representation is a bit like the United Nations – persons from throughout the world – Europe, Africa, Asia, South America and so on.
Class sizes grew in proportion to enrollment. (put in a box?
Freshmen — 565
Sophomore — 452
Junior — 385
Seniors — 562
Graduate — 50
A gender breakout shows that males comprise 77 percent and females 23 percent of
enrollment. More than 200 students are veterans, or about 10 percent of the student population.
Some are just beginning degrees, while others are completing degrees after having completed their military service.
Additionally, 20 to 25 percent of current students are enrolled in one form or another of an ROTC program and will be commissioned in a branch of the U.S. military when they graduate.
Estimated costs for attending ERAU, including tuition, room, board, books and fees, can be found on the ERAU website: www.prescott.erau.edu; or by calling 928 777-6600. A rough calculation of total cost for undergraduates is in the range of $43,000. However, this can be impacted by various flight training fees, if any, and other expenses.
Both Ayers and Dougherty emphasize “… substantial scholarships, loans and financial aid are available to qualified students.”
Beyond these dollars are those spent by that many students in the greater community – automobiles, transportation, routine cost of living expenses, entertainment and the like.
The cumulative economic impact of having these students as well as the university employees in the community is in the millions, a local economist said.
All of this is to say the praise given ERAU by Time Magazine a few years ago – The Harvard of the Skies – is well deserved by the university in Prescott. QCBN
By Ray Newton
Quad Cities Business News
Leave a Reply