KGI Expands Enrollment with 19-Percent Increase in New Student Population

While many colleges and universities across the country are experiencing decreased enrollment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) is looking ahead to a promising fall 2020 term. As fall semester courses began on August 31, KGI’s enrollment has reached 608, an increase of five percent from 2019.

Of the 608 students, 338 are returning and 270 are new to KGI this semester. The number of incoming students is a 19-percent increase from fall 2019.

KGI’s student population includes these academic programs:

• Certificate in Bioscience Management
• Doctor of Pharmacy
• Master of Business and Science
• Master of Engineering in Biopharmaceutical Processing
• Master of Science in Applied Life Sciences
• Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling
• Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genomic Data Analytics
• Master of Science in Medical Device Engineering
• Master of Science in Translational Medicine
• PhD in Applied Life Sciences
• Postbac Premedical Certificate
• Postbac Pre-PA Certificate

Two new degree programs—the Occupational Therapy Doctorate and the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies—will enroll their first cohorts in fall 2022.

In addition to these innovative programs that provide pathways for students to become leaders in their fields, one of the reasons KGI has seen increased enrollment is due to continued networking and industry connections—key parts of the KGI student experience.

KGI’s Student Affairs team has expanded the virtual programming this semester to ensure that introductions to industry continue to grow. As always, KGI students will participate in info sessions with top companies like Amgen and Gilead. There will also be academic success workshops held online as well as health and wellness events such as Zoom-ba. Industry Talks are also among the most popular virtual events, and the first one of the fall semester featured Regeneron leaders Lisa Purcell and Alina Baum.

“Our focus is to connect students with a variety of activities, events, and resources they can choose from and to continue to support while at a distance,” says Cynthia Martinez, KGI’s Dean of Students.

To reduce the transmission of COVID-19 during the fall semester, KGI has encouraged its faculty and staff to work from home while also offering a choice for students to complete their classes online. Most students have chosen to take this online route, and many courses benefit from using the Minerva Platform, which is an enhanced active-learning system for online instruction.

It may come as no surprise that fall 2020 courses such as Dean of Research Larry Grill’s virology class are oversubscribed, thanks to the intellectual curiosity surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

For those that are on campus, KGI has developed enhanced safety requirements for individuals arriving, working, and living on campus. Everyone on the KGI campus must wear face coverings while in proximity to others and maintain six feet or more of physical distance whenever feasible.

“In spite of the obstacles that our KGI students, faculty, and staff have experienced in 2020, our entire community continues to be adaptable and flexible,” says KGI President Sheldon Schuster.

“Our students are exhibiting tremendous perseverance in their studies and career pursuits, and we owe great thanks and appreciation to our faculty and staff who continue to make the KGI student experience one-of-a-kind!”

As enrollment reaches new heights, students are choosing KGI as the place where they’ll develop an innovative career in biotech and healthcare.