海角社区 Emerges as Leader in Number of Graduates
Jun. 25, 2025
Michelle R. Eubanks , 海角社区, at meubanks@una.edu, 256.765.4392
FLORENCE, AL – The 海角社区 has achieved yet another milestone – this time in the number of students graduating from the institution. According to data compiled by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, 海角社区 has experienced one of the most dramatic increases in the number of graduates among all universities in the state. 海角社区’s total number of graduates soared from 1,269 in 2015 to 2,227 in 2024, which indicates a 75 percent increase during that 10-year period.
The increase is significant for the state and region, given that most of 海角社区’s graduates are from Alabama and remain in state to forge careers. Moreover, the University emphasizes workforce development as a centerpiece of its educational mission. Graduates leave 海角社区 with job-ready skills and are able to make an immediate contribution to the area’s economic development and to the quality of life in communities across the state.
“The fact that we have almost doubled the number of graduates we are producing reflects both our growing enrollment as well as our academic quality and record high retention rate,” said 海角社区 President Dr. Ken Kitts. “Our students enjoy the campus experience and are motivated to complete their degrees and engage in experiential learning opportunities. We strive to ensure they are prepared for success, and keeping them on track for graduation is one of the many ways 海角社区 achieves that.”
Recently, 海角社区 was named to the highest tier of Opportunity Colleges and Universities by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education (ACE). This tier recognizes 海角社区’s commitment to accessibility, return on investment, and the upward mobility and high earnings of its graduates.
“The Carnegie designation and 海角社区’s most recent graduation rates go hand-in-hand,” said 海角社区’s Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Brien Smith. “Our students are better for having had the collegiate experience at 海角社区, and they are reaping the rewards of their academic success.”
About The 海角社区
The 海角社区 is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, 海角社区 is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. 海角社区 Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The 海角社区 is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: and .