Rutherford, N.J., October 23, 2026 —It has been a year of growth for Felician University, highlighted by record enrollment, expanded academic offerings, significant grant awards, and new investments in student success.

Record Enrollment and Strong Student Demand

In Spring 2026, the nonprofit Franciscan Catholic university celebrated the graduation of more than 500 students, continuing its nearly 85-year of preparing skilled professionals who contribute to New Jersey’s workforce and economy. Momentum continued into Fall as Felician welcomed over 500 new students. University admissions data shows year-over-year growth across every major recruitment metric, including inquiries, applications, admissions, and student deposits. The University has experienced particularly robust growth among students from Essex, Bergen, Passaic, Middlesex, and Monmouth counties, while also attracting an increasing number of out-of-state and international applicants.

Felician currently enrolls 3,006 degree seeking students—the University’s highest enrollment in more than a decade and a 24% increase over the past two years. This includes more than 2,000 traditional undergraduate students, along with a growing population of graduate and adult undergraduate learners.

Graduate enrollment has surged, with applications increasing 71% yearover-year and enrollment rising 43%. University leaders attribute much of this growth to the introduction of several new, career-focused graduate programs, including masters, doctoral, and post-master professional certificate programs.

Expanding Academic Opportunities

Over the past year, Felician has launched designed to meet evolving workforce needs. New graduate offerings include a new Nursing Education track option in the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program, two MSN programs, a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy, an Ed.D. in Educational and Organizational Leadership, and several future-focused MBA concentrations, including Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, and Business Analytics. At the undergraduate level, the University introduced a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management with a concentration in Data Analytics and is launching the first ever Sports Management for Women track in Spring of 2027, as well as a dozen professional certificate programs in the School of Arts and Sciences.

Preparing Students for the Future

A core objective of Felician’s three-year strategic plan is to ensure that every academic program incorporates experiential learning by the end of 2026. The University has already achieved that goal for its undergraduate programs through expanded corporate and community partnerships, internship opportunities, career development initiatives, and hands-on learning experiences that prepare students for success after graduation. The number of Felician students actively involved in experiential learning and internship opportunities increased by 67% over the previous academic year.

Faculty Excellence and Institutional Growth
The 2025–26 academic year brought significant recognition for Felician’s faculty, many of whom earned prestigious awards and secured more than $5 million in competitive grants that support academic innovation and student success. The most notable grant is a $3 million Title III Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) grant from the U.S. Department of Education (administered by the U.S. Department of Labor). The grant will provide critical support over the next five years to advance student success and strengthen the University’s capacity to serve its students. Other notable awards included a $750,000 federal infrastructure allocation to launch the University’s AI Innovation Hub, a $700,000 Clare Boothe Luce grant supporting women pursuing careers in STEM, and a $318,000 GAINS grant to support teacher apprenticeship.

University President, Dr. Mildred Mihlon, PhD, is energized by the success Felician has had this year and is confident in the road ahead. “The momentum at Felician University is unmistakable. Our enrollment increase reflects the growing recognition of the value of a Felician education and the commitment our entire community has made to expanding access, creating opportunity, and advancing student success. We recognize the challenges facing higher education, but we also see tremendous opportunities to innovate, grow, and respond to the changing needs of our students and the workforce they will enter. Together, we are building on this momentum and creating an even stronger future for our students and for Felician,” she says.

Felician will host a Fall Open House Event on Sunday, November 1, which is open to the public.

Data points provided by Felician University Admissions Operations and Institutional Research departments.

About Felician University

Felician University is committed to supporting academic success at any stage of life. With over 3,000 undergraduate, graduate, and adult education students enrolled across the schools of Arts & Sciences, Business & Information Sciences, Nursing, and Education, Felician provides diverse learning experiences that equip all students with the skills to meet the demands of today’s society. Felician University was recognized in Newsweek’s America’s Best Colleges for Women 2026, earning distinction as the No. 1 college for women in New Jersey. Additionally, Felician has been named a best value school by payscale.com and Money magazine, and as one of the best college locations in NJ (#4) by niche.com. Our Master of Science in Nursing program is ranked one of the best online graduate nursing programs in the nation by U.S. News and the Princeton Review. We are proud to be designated as a Military Friendly School (Gold Status) for the fifteenth year, a testament to our dedicated support of Veteran students. Our diversity as an HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) and MSI (Minority Serving Institution), with underrepresented students comprising more than half of the student population, reflects our inclusive and supportive environment and earned us a spot on Washington Monthly’s Top 100 HSI list. With campuses in Rutherford and Lodi, New Jersey, our Franciscan values of respect for human dignity, compassion, transformation, solidarity with people in need, justice and peace are woven into the very foundation and development of tomorrow’s leaders. Felician University is sponsored by Felician Sisters International. For more information, please visit https://felician.edu/