Enrollment Rebound and History of Survival
Sean Hudson – Consultant – Financial Aid Services
I recently received a LinkedIn announcement stating that one of my former schools has its largest freshman class this fall since the pandemic. I welcomed this positive news. College enrollment is still below pre-pandemic levels, but it seems to be trending upward over the last couple of years.
The fact that most colleges survived the pandemic made me wonder about other major crises and challenges they overcame since their founding. To explore this, I needed a college with a long history. I didn’t have to look far—my son started at Xavier University this fall, a school founded in 1831!
Xavier University (originally St. Xavier College) has persisted through the Civil War, the Spanish Flu, two world wars, the Great Depression, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and several economic crises. This made me ask: how does the response to the COVID pandemic compare with other historical events? Did surviving those earlier crises help Xavier triumph over COVID?
How Did Xavier Survive These World-Changing Events?
Civil War:
Xavier’s location in Cincinnati likely saved it. Students came from both Kentucky (a Confederate state) and northern states. As war loomed in 1861, many Southern students left to join the Confederacy. When Confederate armies approached Cincinnati in 1862, some Union students joined militia units to defend the city—classmates fighting classmates, separated only by a river.
Xavier’s financial ties to the South also played a role. Founder Bishop Edward Fenwick owned slaves, and much of the university’s early tuition came from Southern families whose wealth was built on enslaved labor. While indefensible, these ties may have shielded Xavier financially. The Jesuit network of schools, with its emphasis on scholarship and reflection, also helped the institution endure.
World War I & Spanish Flu:
Xavier adapted its curriculum to support the war effort and established a Student Army Training Corps (SATC) unit in 1918. Hundreds of students enlisted, with about 25% serving. Many wrote letters back to the campus newspaper.
The Spanish Flu also reached Xavier in 1918, infecting over 40 students in one residence hall. The university responded with quarantines, dorm confinements, and protective masks—eerily similar to the COVID response. Remarkably, the school avoided a major catastrophe and continued to operate.
Great Depression:
Xavier weathered the Depression through New Deal work-study programs; strong alumni support and maintaining high academic standards. Ironically, enrollments grew during this period as young people sought education in the absence of jobs, providing stability.
World War II:
By late 1942, most upperclassmen had enlisted, causing enrollment to collapse. Xavier offered its campus as a training center for Army Air Corps cadets, keeping the institution financially viable while supporting the war effort. Hundreds of cadets trained on campus, marching through until 1944.
After the war, veterans returned in large numbers, aided by the GI Bill, sparking an enrollment boom and campus expansion. In 1946, Xavier dedicated a shrine to “Our Lady, Queen of Victory and Peace” to honor students who served and died.
Korean & Vietnam Wars:
The GI Bill and Higher Education Act of 1965 provided stability. Xavier adapted its curriculum to defense-related subjects and encouraged faster graduations. Unlike many campuses, Xavier’s ROTC program had strong support, with more than half the student body participating.
In 1969, instead of joining national strikes, Xavier canceled classes and held an “educational day” to openly discuss the Vietnam War, reflecting its Jesuit mission of dialogue and reflection.
Lessons from Xavier’s History
- Strong leadership made decisive, adaptive choices during crises.
- Curricular flexibility helped the institution remain relevant.
- Federal programs and aid (GI Bill, New Deal, Higher Education Act) provided stability.
- Jesuit mission and values guided the community during turbulent times.
Comparing to the COVID Response
Recent studies identify four similarities among colleges that managed COVID successfully:
- Rapid and flexible use of technology – Schools with strong IT departments adapted quickly.
- Steady leadership – Experienced decision-makers guided institutions through uncertainty.
- Student support – Addressing well-being and access (computers, internet, resources) made a difference.
- Financial stability – Schools with strong reserves and strategic endowment use survived more effectively.
The parallels between Xavier’s historical resilience and schools’ pandemic responses are striking. The lesson: colleges must learn from the past, because another crisis—war, pandemic, economic collapse, or governmental change—is inevitable.
Most institutions will survive, and perhaps Xavier will still be thriving at its 300th anniversary in 2131.
Post Notes and Reflections
Since March 2020, at least 81 public or nonprofit colleges have closed, merged, or announced closures, affecting an estimated 50,000 students. In spring 2024, I assisted a school that was closing after 67 years. The staff felt like they were in mourning; I chose my words carefully to show respect, feeling like a pallbearer carrying the college to its final resting place.
COVID accelerated innovation. Technologies like Zoom, Teams, Slack, Google Meet, Remote Desktop, and DocuSign became everyday tools. Some faculty struggled with the sudden shift to remote teaching, which required overhauling lesson plans. I taught a Developmental Psychology class remotely and saw firsthand how difficult it was to keep students engaged.
Artificial Intelligence has also emerged more rapidly in higher education since COVID.
But COVID left lasting challenges. Students began questioning the value proposition of college—are facilities and costs truly worth it? Many became reluctant to return to campus, preferring the flexibility of remote learning. For some—especially parents and commuters, the convenience was hard to give up.
