Eastern could not be more delighted to celebrate that our total enrollment has more than doubled over the last four years. From Fall 2019 to Fall 2023, our University grew from 3,100 students to 6,981 students. 

“It is a great joy to welcome so many new students into the Eastern community,” shared President Ron Matthews. “Each of our students has unique talents, passion, and purpose. We are honored and privileged to journey alongside them and help equip them with the knowledge, training, experiences, and credentials they need to achieve their dreams and goals.”

The last several years for Eastern have been marked by student-centered innovation and a compelling desire to provide excellent, affordable, and transformative education. Eastern’s mission statement paints a picture of a “diverse, Christ-centered community preparing graduates to impact the world through Faith, Reason, and Justice” – a mission that has inspired accessible new programs and dynamic extracurricular activities that foster student flourishing. 

While many programs at Eastern have experienced growth over the last several years, the biggest increase has come from Eastern’s innovative online LifeFlex programs, which feature fully online, flexibly-paced modalities with astonishingly affordable tuition. 

Eastern’s LifeFlex programs currently include an MBA, MSW, and MS in Data Science, as well as seven undergraduate programs in business, education, psychology, and liberal arts. 

Online graduate programs in Education also make up a large portion of the University's growing student body. Eastern offers over 40 online programs for educators, including a wide variety of master’s degrees and certification programs for teachers and school professionals. 

At the traditional undergraduate level, expanded extracurricular activities, specifically athletic programs, have been a key reason for the increase since 2019. Over the last several years, Eastern has added new football, cheer, dance, and esports teams. This Fall, a new pep band and drumline energized the football games, with plans for a full marching band to launch next year. Long-standing athletic teams have also experienced increased participation. Half of Eastern’s traditional undergraduate students are involved in athletics, and a significant portion of students participate in extracurricular Fine Arts including music, theater, and dance. 

“Eastern’s commitment to creativity and innovation has yielded spectacular growth over the last few years,” shared Provost Kent Sparks, who has played a key role in launching the LifeFlex and Athletic initiatives. “I am incredibly proud of our faculty and staff who have worked hard to meet student needs and design programs that are excellent, affordable, and accessible. We look forward to many more exciting initiatives ahead.”