Photo by Chris Hammond Students at Grenfell’s library. Grenfell has registered more students this semester than any previous semester.

For the first time in the history of Sir Wilfred Grenfell College, student registrations have broken the 1,300 mark.

According to the latest statistics generated by the Registrar's Office, about 1,330 students have registered so far this semester. The deadline for course registrations is Sept. 17, so that number may vary slightly before leveling off, says Sharon Noftall-Bennett, college registrar.

Last year this time Grenfell College had registered 1,210 students, in 2001, 1,253 students, and in 2000, 1,196 students. These numbers include bachelor of nursing students at Western Regional School of Nursing.

The Registrar's Office views this semester's breakthrough as proof that the college's recruitment efforts are finally paying off.

“Recruitment is of strategic importance as we move toward our goal of 1,500 students,” said Ms. Noftall-Bennett.

Grenfell’s traditional catchment area — western Newfoundland — has seen a gradual decline in the number of graduating high school students. The college has compensated for this decline by drawing on students from elsewhere in Canada and around the world.

This semester there are 70 students registered who come from other parts of Canada or other countries. Of those 70 students, 46 are new registrants; the remaining 24 are returning students. Of the 46 new students, 13 are international, hailing from countries such as Belize, China and Nigeria.

It's no surprise to Dr. Adrian Fowler that students are attracted to the Grenfell campus.

“At Grenfell we have a number of advantages that we feel out-of-province students find particularly agreeable,” said Dr. Fowler. “For one, our students live in a safe, beautiful, clean environment. As well, our students have the benefit of small class sizes, resulting in a more personalized education. And of course we're proud of the fact we offer high-quality programming at a much lower cost than many of our Canadian counterparts, some of which charge more than double Grenfell's tuition.”