Spring Semester 2025 Update and Welcome from President Hawkinson
Dear KU Campus Community,
Welcome back for the 2025 spring semester. I hope you had an enjoyable winter break.
I want to extend my appreciation to you all for another outstanding fall, which culminated with our commencement ceremonies last month. Together, we continue to provide affordable lifelong learning opportunities that empower students of all ages for their intellectual, social, civic, and career endeavors.
We are very proud of all the accomplishments of our university and the KU family, whether in the classroom, on the stage or athletic venues, or through participation in our many vibrant student life activities. Please take a few moments to review the list of some of the fall highlights on our Points of Pride webpage.
The start of a new semester offers a good opportunity to share some important updates.
Last semester, I continued meeting with numerous units and attending many campus events. This included interactions with several external groups and individuals, and numerous proud alumni. Ann Marie and I were honored to continue the ongoing tradition of hosting numerous events at our university residence and various on and off campus sites – all 900+ employees have been invited to visit the President’s Residence each year. We are very proud of having been able to share the talents of our many faculty through the first-floor art display and library.
It is a priority for us to work to ensure a strong new class, as well as maintain student retention. We must also continue to work together to support each other and be vigilant regarding the well-being of our campus community. Recent outcomes have supported our efforts ---- last fall, we grew to an enrollment of 7,468, up 41 students from 2023. Our graduate and transfer enrollment increased for the second straight year. The university’s retention rate of first-time, full-time students improved by 3% to 77.8%. In addition, the average high school grade-point average of KU’s fall 2024 freshman class increased from 3.35 to 3.38, the highest for the university in recorded history for the third-straight year. With increases in new students and our strong retention rate, it is likely we will be up in spring enrollment for the second year in a row.
The university’s strategic plan emphasizes our commitment toward an open and caring community. Enhanced recruiting efforts, combined with scholarships and other initiatives to support students, have been paramount. For example, the overall diversity of KU’s student body remains strong and among the highest in the university’s history at 24%.
While challenges persist, our overall financial health remains solid. We continue to balance our budget without the use of cash reserves for the seventh consecutive year, while concentrating on student support.
We are expecting to cut the ribbon on the new Admissions Welcome Center at the location of Poplar House this spring. This state-of-the-art facility will serve as an entry point to campus for our prospective students, their families and general visitors, and will serve as an event venue for KU and select community organizations. Planning has also continued for the renovation of Keystone Hall, the home to Golden Bear Athletics. These new and renovated facilities further enhance what is arguably the finest campus grounds in the State System and the entire commonwealth.
We had another historical season for fall athletics. Golden Bear football repeated as Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference champions for the first time in team history, while posting a first-ever 11-0 regular season and advancing to the NCAA playoffs. The KU field hockey team advanced to the NCAA Division II title game for the second year in a row, finishing second in the nation. Women’s soccer returned to the NCAA playoffs once again, advancing to the second round of play.
As always, our faculty continue to impress with their scholarly and creative activities, including grants received, journal articles and books published, creative works selected for display at festivals and exhibitions, and many examples of research and creative activity in collaboration with students.
Realization has already set in that this is my final semester as president of Kutztown University. It has arrived so quickly. Spring weather and commencement weekend – May 16-17 – will be upon us before we know it. I plan on making the most of each day on our campus over the next five months. Ann Marie and I feel truly blessed to have been a part of the KU family for nearly 10 years and look forward to making more memories this spring.
I am pleased to welcome you all back one last time and wish you all the best for an enjoyable and successful spring semester.
Sincerely,
Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson
President
Kutztown University