BOWLING GREEN — Ay Ziggy Zoomba! Bowling Green State University is rolling along with record enrollment, national accolades, and higher-than-ever donations.
At Wednesday’s state of the university address, President Rodney Rogers asked the crowd in the Lenhart Grand Ballroom in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union to stop and reflect on the accomplishments for a moment.
“OK,” he said after a 10-second pause, as the audience tittered with laughter. “Now it’s time to look to the future. Because as good as this success feels, we can’t pause here.”
It’s time for BGSU to capitalize on successes and step on the gas, he said.
“Here’s the thing about momentum. It is challenging to create momentum. It’s a lot of work,” he said. “It’s easier to lose than to gain.”
“Just stop moving and pushing forward, even for a moment, and that momentum slows and stops,” President Rogers said.
Some of the highlights he mentioned:
● BGSU is ranked the No. 1 university in the Midwest and the No. 3 public university in the nation that students say they would choose again. BGSU is also the No. 1 public university in Ohio for the student learning experience and opportunities for the second consecutive year.
● BGSU is welcoming the largest single class in university history; it is also the most academically prepared.
● First-year enrollment is up 22 percent.
● There are record retention rates; 82 percent of the fall 2023 cohort returned to campus.
● Out-of-state enrollment has increased 35 percent.
● The new school of nursing is the largest enrolled bachelor of science nursing program in northwest Ohio.
● A record $2.8 million was raised during the one-day giving challenge in the spring.
“People outside campus often ask me, ‘What’s going on at Bowling Green?’ ‘What’s the secret?’ There is no secret,” President Rogers said. “All we have done is double down on who we’ve always been, a public university for the public good.”
A BGSU education is ensured for anyone who wants to work hard and earn it, he said.
Everything isn’t perfect, President Rogers said, citing issues like state funding reductions, a distrust of higher education, student debt, and tuition caps.
After the talk, Mr. Rogers said he is always challenging himself and the BGSU community.
“Often, within large organizations especially, it’s a combination of asking what should we be doing more of, and what can we stop doing. There’s always this trade-off,” he said. “Question why are we preparing this report? Why do we have this committee? Why are we structured this way? Are there ways that we can become more efficient?”
Viva McCarver, chief human resources officer at BGSU, said she is all in on President Rogers’ message.
“We need to keep that momentum going. We need to find ways to continue our progress as a university,” she said. “We obviously can’t settle for where we are, right?”
First-year students Evan Greif and Andreas Koerber of North Olmsted, Ohio, said they were drawn to BGSU by the recognition.
Mr. Greif said he often visited his sister at BGSU while he was in high school. He noticed the signs publicizing the university’s accolades.
“I was already thinking about coming here, but that confirmed it for me,” he said.
“It was definitely nice to hear that people enjoy their experience here,” Mr. Koerber said. “Obviously, you’re spending a lot of money and a lot of time, so you like to hear that people enjoyed it and would choose it again.
“But, for me, when I got here, I fell in love with it on my first visit,” he said. “It was the only place I applied to. The atmosphere, it’s the perfect size, and everyone seems close-knit. It just feels special.”
The roommates, who are both sports management majors, were munching on burgers during the free, all-campus picnic as the cheerleaders jumped in the background and a Katy Perry song roared through a speaker. The university is celebrating its Homecoming with events through the weekend.
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