Momentum Builds as Distinctive Model Combining Valuable Degrees, Real-World Skills, and Lower Student Debt Attracts More Students
Blackburn College is heading into the 2025–2026 academic year with impressive enrollment gains and double-digit growth. This fall’s registered numbers reflect an 18% overall enrollment jump over last year, underscoring the increasing appeal of Blackburn’s one-of-a-kind combination of rigorous academics, hands-on work experience, and reduced student debt.
“This is more than a numbers story; it’s a reflection of the momentum and vitality running through Blackburn right now,” said President Larry K. Lee. “More and more people are connecting with our model and mission. As a purposefully small college, we can provide individualized attention and support. Our professors build meaningful relationships with students, coaching them in ways most people don’t experience until graduate school. Our staff work alongside students to develop professional skills, foster real-world competencies, and ensure the campus thrives. Students, families, and working professionals alike recognize that Blackburn is a community deeply invested in every individual’s success.”
Interest in Blackburn is fueled by a powerful combination of personalized academics, its nationally recognized Work Program that builds critical skills and professional experience, and a financial aid model designed to meet individual needs. That momentum is especially evident in the traditional freshman portion of the College’s incoming class, which grew by nearly 25% this year. Investments in new athletic facilities, including the state-of-the-art Blackburn Athletic Center, have further enhanced campus life by providing new space for NCAA teams and student intramurals. These factors are attracting students from near and far—11% of Carlinville High School’s graduating class will attend Blackburn this year, and the College’s reach extends across the country, with enrolled students representing 17 states. The 2025 incoming class is academically strong, with an average GPA of 3.63.
This incoming class is one of the most diverse in Blackburn’s history: 28% are first-generation students, 68% receive Pell Grants, and 35% represent racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds (17% Black, 16% Hispanic, and 2% American Indian). The top five declared majors among new traditional full-time students are business, education, biology, physical education/sports management, and psychology.
A Four-Year Head Start for Every Graduate
Blackburn College is one of ten federally recognized Work Colleges and the only school in the nation with a Work Program led by its students. Every student works ten hours per week in one of 12 work departments, helping with day-to-day operations on campus. Students earn real-world experience and build critical skills employers value most. This hands-on learning takes place alongside rigorous academics, ensuring graduates are both prepared and confident as they enter the workforce or pursue graduate study.
The financial benefits are just as significant: every Work Program participant reduces their tuition cost, helping them borrow less and graduate with less student loan debt. Combined with Blackburn’s financial aid model, which is personalized to meet each student’s individual needs, this approach makes a high-quality college education both accessible and affordable.
“Our approach to financial aid starts with understanding each student and family’s unique situation, then removing as many barriers as possible to earning a transformational degree,” said Justin Norwood, Vice President of Inclusive Enrollment and a 2004 Blackburn graduate. “When you combine the skills and work experience gained in our Work Program, the meaningful relationships with professors, and true affordability, Blackburn graduates leave with a powerful advantage in their careers and lives.”
For returning students working on campus over the summer, the excitement was already building before the Week of Welcome began on Monday, August 25. Orientation and move-in day drew the largest crowds in years. “You could feel the energy with all the new students and families on campus,” said Grace Wilton, a senior education major who worked in Admissions through Blackburn’s distinctive Work Program. “Seeing so many new faces join Blackburn—and knowing that the work I do in Admissions, from tours to emails to social media posts, makes an impact. It makes me proud to be part of something that’s truly growing and thriving.”
“Our students benefit from a powerful combination,” President Lee said. “They explore a broad, engaging academic curriculum that sparks curiosity and builds knowledge, while gaining hands-on work experience that shapes skills, confidence, and character. They leave Blackburn ready for what’s next, whether that’s a career or advanced degrees, with less debt, more freedom, and the confidence that their education has real, lasting value. Across the nation, parents are asking questions about meaningful, functional, and real-life experiential opportunities and internships available to their students. Some institutions guarantee an internship that is often for a semester, but at Blackburn, our students are getting real-life experiences each semester for four years.
Lee continued, “This is a remarkable moment in Blackburn’s story, and we are just getting started.”