MINOT, ND (KXNET) — Many colleges in North Dakota are struggling with falling enrollment however one university in the Magic City has continued to make gains. Minot State University is seeing a .4% increase in student enrollment for the start of its fall semester. The increase equates to about 10 students more than last year at this same time. The school also saw an increase of 15 students for the start of the school's spring semester, which has continued to grow the student population now at well over 2,700 students. Enrollment services director Michelle Sayler says that while the pandemic impacted enrollment in 2020, MSU is continuing to make progress. "It affected all colleges, all schools across the nation, so yeah it definitely affected our student population, but given our trends our last two semesters, we're confident that we are headed in the right direction," said Sayler. Intertribal Powwow to take place at Minot State University Sayler says in the last few years, Minot State has introduced things to attract enrollment like the creation of the Home Town Pride Scholarship. It's a $1,000 scholarship awarded to high school graduates from different counties throughout the state who plan on attending the university. Plus officials say they've made the application and registration process easier for students. However, Sayler says the environment and culture at MSU are how they have been able to keep students around. "We retain students I think mostly because we're personal. We're a personal campus, we have small class sizes, which allows students to really create meaningful relationships with our faculty and staff on campus," said Sayler. If you or someone you know is interested in applying for the Home Town Pride Scholarship click here. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW