August 18, 2025
The school announced its remarkable enrollment during its annual Torch Lighting Ceremony.
Alabama A&M University has kicked off its 150th year with record-breaking enrollment for its freshman class.
The HBCU in Huntsville, Alabama, has introduced its largest cohort in years for the class of 2029. The school announced at its annual Torch Lighting ceremony that 2,157 preliminarily registered first-time freshmen have begun their studies. This has already surpassed last year’s record, with a significant percentage of male students included.
Alabama A&M confirmed that male students make up 42% of its freshman class, a significant feat for the school as HBCUs everywhere struggle with a declining male population. Covered by BLACK ENTERPRISE last September, enrollment of Black men at HBCUs has seen a downward trend over the previous five decades.
Many factors, including financial, cultural, and social barriers, led to this jarring statistic. In light of these challenges, HBCUs have intensified their initiatives to bring Black male scholars back into the classroom. The news of these increased numbers at Alabama A&M represents progress at the school and HBCUs across the nation.
Alabama A&M also celebrates its diverse population with plans for a lived-in campus experience. The class of 2029 has traveled from all over to attend Huntsville. Students from 40 states and five countries now represent the cohort. The majority also have plans to live on campus, with 62% of first-year students registered to stay in its residences.
As the HBCU embarks on its milestone year of educating Black and diverse youth, it continues to build upon its initial success to evolve into a new age of academia. As students begin their classes, they will also engage in a month-long Bulldog Welcome Experience. Its scheduled activities include orientation workshops, leadership sessions, and classic HBCU traditions like the National Pan-Hellenic Council Yard Show and the Louis Crews Classic football game.
RELATED CONTENT: Fed Student Loan Forgiveness Tracking Paused Amid System Turmoil, Layoffs
