DECATUR, Ill. – Millikin University is proud to announce that when the 2025-26 academic year began on Monday, August 25, 2025, the incoming Class of 2029 included the largest number of first-year students since 2020. Millikin welcomed 545 new undergraduate students to campus to begin the fall 2025 semester, a 17% percent increase in students from fall 2024.
“Bringing in our largest group of first-year students in half a decade is a remarkable accomplishment, and this record-setting first-year class is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when our entire university works hand-in-hand to showcase our strengths,” Millikin President Dean Pribbenow said. “This is especially significant given the competitive private, higher education market and the fact that Illinois is the second largest exporter in the U.S. of college-bound students attending school. Our persistence, creativity, and commitment to student success have brought us here, and now we must keep striving to build on this foundation and ensure Millikin’s future remains just as bright.”
Thanks to the successful implementation of articulation and transfer agreements with several Central Illinois Community Colleges, including Richland, Parkland, Heartland, and Lincoln Land Community Colleges, Millikin also welcomed 132 transfer students to the Big Blue Family, the largest number since 2015.
“Welcoming the largest class in five years is both exciting and humbling and we are incredibly proud to have achieved such growth in our first-year and transfer student population,” said Molly Berry, Executive Director of Admission. “It shows that students and families recognize the strength of our academic programs and the value of the experience we offer. We’re eager to continue engaging with future students and ensuring this success is just the beginning.”
First-year and transfer students are also able to take advantage of the Millikin Tuition Promise + Big Blue Pledge: Illinois Free Tuition Program, which is entering its second year. The Millikin Tuition Promise provides a reduced tuition rate of $26,000 for all full-time traditional undergraduate students. For those that qualify, the Big Blue Pledge: Illinois Free Tuition Program will cover 100% of their undergraduate tuition with Millikin grants and scholarships filling the gap after available state and federal grants.
The new class of Millikin students includes students from 30 states, and Illinois residents make up 74% of the class. Students from Macon County make up 31% of the incoming cohort. The new group has a wide range of interests, with Nursing, Business, Musical Theatre, Elementary Education, and Criminal Justice being their most popular choices for majors, and 48% of them are student-athletes.
The 2025-26 school year is an exciting time at Millikin, as the University is under new leadership with Pribbenow becoming Millikin’s 17th President, effective July 1. The final touches on the $12.3 million, 17,655-square-foot David J. & Debra C. Rathje Athletic Center project are nearing completion, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held during Homecoming on Friday, October 3, 2025, at 11 a.m.
Millikin students, parents, alumni, and community members can “Paint the Town Blue” during this year’s Homecoming celebration, October 3-5. Check out the lineup of exciting events that will bring the Millikin community together to connect, reminisce and create new Big Blue memories.
