Built in 1936, Burruss Hall is Virginia Tech’s main administrative building. Photo by Ray Messe for Virginia Tech.
Virginia Tech saw significant growth in summer session enrollment among undergraduate students in 2020, even amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Currently, 5,791 undergraduates are enrolled in summer courses, a 27.7 percent increase from last year, said Michael Herndon, director of Virginia Tech’s Office of Summer and Winter Sessions. The number of out-of-state undergraduates grew by 35.5 percent. The university also saw growth in the number of visiting students from other institutions that offer few or no summer courses. The number of graduate students grew 2.5 percent to 1,307.
Herndon attributed the growth to the scope of the university’s online offerings, the choice of three different summer enrollment options, and a budget plan that allows students to pay their tuition and fees in monthly installments. This summer marks the first time the budget plan has been offered.
“In the long term, this is a great time for us to reflect on the role summer plays in assisting students in staying on track for graduation,” Herndon said. “We anticipate seeing continued growth in the future, and we’re already planning for how to scale while making sure we have adequate resources to serve additional students.”
Virginia Tech’s summer session runs through Aug. 17. Students have the choice of two short six-week sessions or one full 12-week session. The 2020 summer session will be conducted entirely online.
