CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Last year, Austin Peay State University awarded more degrees than at any other time in the institution’s 93-year history.
During the University’s Sept. 18 Board of Trustees meeting, Dr. Maria Cronley, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs, shared this and other good news about Austin Peay’s progress over the last several years.
Cronley said the University awarded 3,200 degrees during the 2019-20 academic year, which represents a 69% increase over the 2015-16 academic year. Last year, the University awarded 407 associate degrees, 1,517 bachelor’s degrees and 403 master’s degrees.
Cronley also shared that Austin Peay’s six-year graduation rate has improved to 48%, and the institution’s retention rate of full-time, first-time freshman has grown significantly to 68%. These numbers mean more students are returning to Austin Peay each year and more students are earning a college degree.
“We’re trending in the right direction, but I’m not satisfied,” Cronley said. “We still have progress to make.”
Austin Peay also reached an external funding milestone during the 2019-20 academic year, with faculty and staff bringing in a record $7.9 million for research and sponsored programs. By comparison, the University earned only $2.9 million in external funding for the 2014-15 academic year.