TAMIU Boasts Highest Spring Enrollment in University’s History, Celebrates ‘Ducky’ Day

This Spring Semester 2024 at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) is truly one for the record books.

Students enrolling at TAMIU set a historic record for the highest Spring Enrollment in the University’s history: 7,940 students, a 5.57% increase in headcount and a similar 5.57% increase in Semester Credit Hours, upon which State funding is configured. 

TAMIU president Dr. Pablo Arenaz says a special celebration for the University community is planned for Thursday, April 18 at 11:30 a.m. at the Breezeway between the Dr. F. M. Canseco School of Nursing and the Anthony J. and Georgia A. Pellegrino Hall...and it’ll be “ducktastic,” he says.

“There’s no ‘ducking’ the numbers, we made history this Spring and so we’re inviting our University community to our Acequia Fountain to join our celebration with hundreds of TAMIU-branded yellow rubber ducks.  Students can pick up their own ‘lucky ducky’ which helps to commemorate this special day and perhaps bring them additional good luck as they approach finals, the end of the semester, and graduation,” Dr. Arenaz said.

Why the hundreds of ducks? They symbolize the thousands of TAMIU students, and the ties that bind the University community, he explained. 

“You might say our Dustdevils have something in common with ducks...We remain calm and steady amid project deadlines, exams, the busyness of student life, and life in general… We paddle along and we stay the course. Behind every duck is another and another paddling behind you, another faculty member encouraging students toward their goals, and hundreds of University staff members supporting students to graduation.  To show our appreciation to the students who chose TAMIU for this journey, we will have some fun, ‘release the quacken,’ and share a hearty ‘Con-quack-ulations’!” he said.

Arenaz shared some impressive demographic insights about students enrolling at TAMIU this Spring. 

*Undergraduate students number 6,290 while graduate students have increased 19% to 1,622 students.

*Women outnumber Men by 62% (4,937) to 32% (3,003).

*There are 35 international countries represented this Spring. The student traveling furthest hails from Nepal, 13,779 miles away from Laredo.

*97% of students are from Texas.

*The youngest TAMIU student is 14, and the oldest is 78.

*Some 8% of undergraduates are dual-enrolled high school students.

There are 28 students enrolled in Doctoral programs at TAMIU.

*The top Undergraduate majors are Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Nursing, Psychology, and Kinesiology.

*The top Graduate majors are Business Administration, Curriculum and Instruction, Criminal Justice, School Counseling, and Family Nurse Practitioner.

*May graduation ceremonies will see 948 candidates for graduation...also expected to be the largest graduating class in the University’s history. 

TAMIU vice president for Enrollment Management Juan Gilberto García, Jr. said he believes the enrollment gains are reflective of the broad range of TAMIU student support and resources available.

“We meet with our potential students at their home high school campuses and we’re in constant communication with them as they finalize their University plan.  We’ve augmented support services with Intrusive Advising, Enhanced Tutoring, Early Intervention, Supplemental Instruction for Gateway Courses, Mental Health Programs, Food Insecurity and Emergency Expense Programs, our Closer than Ever Degree Completion Program…and our Path to Academic and Student Success Initiative.

“These are all designed to help TAMIU students to persist and graduate. We’re tremendously proud of our University recruiters and their vital role in meeting with potential students to explore the opportunities that TAMIU presents for them.  We’re also developing a campus-wide Strategic Enrollment Plan to identify enrollment targets aligned with our mission and vision,” García said.

To find out more about the University’s ‘quacktastic’ enrollment celebration, visit a dedicated website at go.tamiu.edu/lucky ducky which provides engagement opportunities to craft a duck-themed message or pun;  a list of on-campus activities for students to share with their lucky duckies...and dedicated social media challenges.  A special site playlist will keep those ducks in a row... and perhaps dancing too. 

Throughout the month leading up to Thursday’s event, TAMIU’s social channels have been “quacking”  with duck scavenger hunts, fun teaser videos, and profiles of future engagement events. 

Registration for Maymester, Summer, and Fall at TAMIU is now underway.

More on the University’s story can be found at tamiu.edu and on its social media channels, such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube.