SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) – If you were to do a head count on Texas State University’s campus in 2024, you’d tally up a few more people than last year.  That’s because, for the first time in its 125-year history, the university enrolled more than 40,000 students for its fall 2024 semester.  “That's a threshold we've been targeting for a long time,” Texas State University President Kelly Damphousse told KXAN. “What we've been doing is trying to work really hard to help prospective students understand the value of a four-year college degree in general, and then the value of a Texas State degree, in particular,” he continued.  The last time the university saw record enrollment was in 2016 when 38,849 students started classes. This fall, the university enrolled 49,678 students – up by around 5% from 2023. TXST has worked hard to drive home the importance of a four-year college degree to first-generation students, Damphousse, who was the first person in his family to earn one, said.   “We have a great university that's prepared to welcome, [help] and support [first-generation students] through their process. About 41% of our students are first generation,” he continued. About half of Texas State University are eligible for Pell Grants, "which means they come from pretty challenging economic backgrounds. We believe that opening up the opportunity for a four-year college degree on our campus can change the lives of those students who are coming here,” Damphousse added.  Texas State’s San Marcos, Round Rock and online programs all have room to keep growing, Damphousse said. “[The San Marcos Campus]can easily get to 50,000 students by 2030,” he said. “The ultimate cap could be larger if we continue to grow our online program." “I think there's a great appreciation for what we've done here for 125 years,” Damphousse said. “[Students] when they come here, they believe that we're invested not just in having the biggest freshman class, but also having the biggest graduating class in four years, that we're invested in their success.”