Presentation Plans To Grow, Join NAIA

Presentation College of Aberdeen wants to double the number of students on its Hub City campus. And it expects an athletic announcement it made Wednesday to help do that.

Come this time next year, Presentation College expects its sports teams to have a new home in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. It's applied to the NAIA and is pretty certain it'll be accepted.

"I think it's definitely an exciting move and it'll be good for the school as a whole," student Kaylee Voorhees said.

As administration from the school announced Wednesday, the move would allow the school to offer athletic scholarships. That's just one perk they point to that could help attract more students, fitting into the school's strategic plan.

The college wants to increase its student body and enhance their experience. The campus has about 400 students; about 300 of them are degree-seeking. It hopes to see that number double by 2018.

"This is a good year to make changes, I think. And this is the year to look for our future, look what's best for our students and what's a good fit for the school into the future," President Margaret Huber said.

Huber says, of the increase planned for by 2018, she expects 60 percent of them to be student athletes.

As the number of students grows, she expects the number of programs offered to as well.

"And that's also in our strategic plan, to look at what kinds of areas we can improve in to offer more balanced programs for students," Huber said.

So administration says this move should benefit students whether they’re athletes or not.

"I think the potential move to NAIA will be good for the school. It'll help it get bigger; you know, bring more people into campus," student Travis Cleveland said.

More than half of Presentation's students are in health-related fields. The college expects that number to drop as it grows. But it hopes to expand its nursing program as well.