The University of Hartford is a young university with a promising future.

In only 58 years, the University has created in what some would think as an admirable reputation due to strong academics and determined faculty and staff. The University also finds itself in a perfect location, halfway between New York City and Boston.

When keeping the location, the reputation and the academics of the University of Hartford in mind, it’s relatively easy to figure out the why student’s would want to apply to the school in  the first place.The University was absolutely flooded with applications this past year. With such a vast pool of potential students, the University obtained the largest freshmen class since 2009, the total count stands at around sixteen hundred.

Michael Malone, Assistant Vice President for Residential Life stated that the University has “200–250 more first-year students than last year.”

Malone attributed this increase in students due to the University’s improving reputation.

Malone also added that the University predicts that enrollment will continue to strengthen, and that this year’s freshmen class is not a one-time thing.

With over 200 more students enrolling at the University of Hartford compared to prior years, not a single bed will be empty this fall.

There are so many new students that about “50 first-year students are in one wing of a floor in Regents Park,” Malone said.

While many residence halls are full and even being used for different purposes than usual, this past summer, the University also focused on renovating different aspects of dormitories on campus.

Twelve bathrooms in E Complex were renovated, A Complex received new furniture and Park River received new carpeting, a re-serviced HVAC system and new cabinets, sinks and appliances.

The #UHart19 class banner is looking nice and filled up! #UHart pic.twitter.com/dnBHeTiux6

— The Informer (@UHartInformer) August 29, 2015

The University also completed a “microgrid project” this past summer. This project speaks about the emergency diesel generators alongside East Hall and connecting them across the entire campus.

This project’s completion will now make it possible for the University to “continue normal operations and full residential occupancy in the event of an extended power outage,” Malone said.

The renovations that took place this past summer will continue next summer within various residential halls and across campus. The new renovations are hoping to contain more options for freshman living as well as trying to update the academic side.

Adding all of these new features will help keep the enrollement high and appeal to more studnets for many more years to come.

The University’s hard work reaped them their first benefits this year with the enormous Class of 2019. All of their signatures will hang proudly in the University’s library.

With the University’s brand management, renovations, as well as their improvements academically, it’s hard to believe that the Class of 2020 won’t be even bigger.