More than 1,500 new students started classes at ASU this fall and are quickly learning why “It’s a Great Time to be a Hornet.”

When fall classes started on Monday, Alabama State University welcomed more than 1,500 new students for the new school year.

Last spring, ASU’s Board of Trustees set an enrollment goal of at least 1,500 new students for the fall 2012 semester.  Cherise Peters, ASU’s associate provost and vice president for Enrollment Management, said her division exceeded that goal and set new records.

“We have enrolled more than 1,500 new students,” Peters said. “Our total enrollment is more than 5,000 students. The Enrollment Management team is working hard to keep this trend of increasing numbers going.”

Freddie Williams, director of Admissions and Recruitment, said the new numbers are the result of a great deal of hard work.

“I think that the increased numbers can be attributed to the willingness of the Admissions and Recruitment staff to work overtime to get the job done and our emphasis on faster application processing and response time,” Williams said.

The fall semester also has introduced a variety of improvements to campus life. The newly built John Garrick Hardy Student Center is now open for students. The center, a “one-stop” shop for students, is home to many student service offices, including Admissions and Recruitment, Enrollment Management, Financial Aid, Residential Life and Academic Advisement.