Subverting trends, Cornerstone sees 82% new student increase
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — After a decade of decline, Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids is celebrating a major increase in student enrollment.
The school, located along East Beltline Avenue near Leonard Street, reports an 82% increase in new student enrollment over last spring. The increase stems from first-year students, transfer students and online students. Its online program saw a 260% increase in new adult students this past fall.
Cornerstone is focused on continuing the trend, Cornerstone University President Gerson Moreno-Riaño, Ph.D., said. He told News 8 that the school is seeing good signs for next year, with high application numbers for the fall and bigger crowds at Golden Eagle Days for prospective students.
“We do expect continued growth in the years ahead,” he said.
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He said he’s thrilled by the enrollment numbers.
“It’s been fantastic news for our university. We grew significantly in the fall and in the spring, our new student enrollment was significantly large, and frankly, it came after … a 10-year decline in enrollment for us in new students,” he said. “So to see the significant numbers in the fall and the spring, we were very, very happy about.”
He attributed the growth to several factors, including a focus both on bringing in new students and retaining current students. He said the school is focused on providing an excellent, student-focused experience.
As many have concerns about the growing cost of higher education, the school is also focused on giving students scholarships, financial aid support and keeping the cost appropriate.
It recently announced a tuition reset, lowering tuition by 22% for the upcoming 2024-25 school year to $22,000, down from $28,000.
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Moreno-Riaño believes the focus on cost has helped attract some of the school’s students. Just down the street from Cornerstone, tuition at Calvin University was around $38,000 this year after a tuition freeze, and tuition at Hope College in Holland for the 2024-25 year is $41,500.
Cornerstone is also working to offer market-ready, high-demand programs, like its growing nursing program, which will be graduating its first students this year.
Finally, the school’s president said it is focused on its mission.
“We’re very much focused on who we have been,” he said. “We’re a faith-based Christian University now for 82 years.”
Cornerstone University isn’t the only West Michigan school reporting strong numbers as higher education institutions face enrollment challenges accelerated by COVID-19. Grand Valley State University welcomed its largest incoming class ever in the fall of 2023, and Grand Rapids Community College reports a 3.6% increase in enrollment this semester over the fall semester.
But Moreno-Riaño said as universities face fierce competition from other institutions and non-university market players, like tech companies creating their own academic content, it’s important for schools to innovate. They need to offer market-savvy, quality education while being aware of the price point, he said. He believes schools that can do that can flourish, but those that can’t will likely struggle, or even have to shut down.
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That’s true for large public schools and small private schools alike, he said.
“The challenge … for schools like Cornerstone are no different than challenges for other universities,” he said. “The strong headwinds are out there for everybody.”
West Michigan schools are taking different approaches to those headwinds. Hope College, for example, is aiming to drastically change its tuition model to a “pay-it-forward” approach, hoping to eventually offer free tuition.
Moreno-Riaño sees lots of opportunities for schools like Cornerstone University, but he said they must remain laser-focused on providing excellent education.
“It’s a tough, tough market,” he said. “Hurricane-force winds are out there.”
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