Freshmen are moved in, but local college enrollment is down
University of Memphis president Bill Hargrave crosses the The Hunter Harrison Memorial Bridge Aug. 22, 2024. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)
Freshman Riley Fitzgerald and hundreds of her peers walked across the Harrison Hunter Memorial Bridge at the University of Memphis last week, crossing to a new stage of their lives with cheers and high fives and symbolism that required few words.
“As we walk across the bridge, I encourage you to think about what your hopes and dreams are for the future,” U of M President Bill Hardgrave told the crowd before Marc Cohn’s “Walking in Memphis” set it moving forward, him in the lead.
With that and barbeque on the other side, Hardgrave welcomed one of the smallest freshman classes in memory, affected by the failed rollout of the FAFSA application, declining birth rates and the university’s own work to strengthen its academic standing and graduation rates.
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University of Memphis Rhodes College LeMoyne-Owen College Southwest Tennessee Community College Christian Brothers University Subscriber OnlyThank you for supporting local journalism.
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Jane Roberts
Jane Roberts has reported in Memphis for more than 20 years. As a senior member of The Daily Memphian staff, she was assigned to the medical beat during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also has done in-depth work on other medical issues facing our community, including shortages of specialists in local hospitals. She covered K-12 education here for years and later the region’s transportation sector, including Memphis International Airport and FedEx Corp.
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