With the start of classes today, the University of Missouri has the most diverse student body in its history, according to campus officials.
Mizzou now has 34,111 students enrolled and has seen an increase in international and out-of-state students as well as a record number of minorities.
The total minority population, the university says, has climbed from 4,940 last year to an unprecedented 5,116 this year -- an increase of 176 students, or a 3.6 percent jump. That change comes from a rise in both Hispanic and African American students.
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The total number of Hispanic students has increased from 975 to 1,070, which is a nearly 10 percent jump over the last year. The number of black students has seen a small 0.5 percent increase.
Here's a chart Mizzou sent out this morning:
"We are pleased to once again welcome another very large class of students to MU," Ann Korschgen, vice provost for enrollment management, says in a statement. "This year, we're experiencing significant increases in our international student population and diversity on campus. This is very important as we prepare our students for a globally positioned job market because they will have the opportunity to interact with globally diverse students during their time at MU."
The number of international students has increased from 2,041 to 2,109, a 3.3 percent increase and Mizzou calculates an overall 3.4 percent increase in the diversity of its student body.
Mizzou's freshman class is 6,227, which is the second largest in the university's history, behind last year's record of 6,560.
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