Not Just a Record Freshman Class: BGSU’s Enrollment Boom is Fueling Regional Growth

For the second year in a row, Bowling Green State University is welcoming its largest freshman class in school history with more than 4,000 students . Enrollment is up 4% from last fall, 14% from two years ago, and an impressive 36% compared to Fall 2021.

This incoming class doesn’t just set records in size, but also in academic achievement, arriving with a 3.74 GPA and an average ACT score of 25…the highest in the university’s history.

President Rodney K. Rogers credits BGSU’s focus on the student experience:

The momentum goes beyond first-year students. Transfer enrollment is up 17% , particularly from community colleges in northwest and central Ohio as well as southeast Michigan. BGSU’s in-state tuition scholarship has also driven a 32% increase from Michigan counties, while College Credit Plus graduates, high school students who previously earned BGSU credits are also enrolling at higher rates.

Programs Driving Growth

The numbers aren’t random. BGSU has doubled down on programs that match the needs of both students and the regional workforce.

• Engineering : Enrollment in engineering programs is up 36% following the launch of new degrees in robotics, electronics and computer engineering, and mechanical and manufacturing engineering. By 2026, students will have access to the new Technology Engineering Innovation Center.

• Computer Science & AI : Computer science enrollment is up 48% . BGSU was the first in Ohio to offer the program, and is now positioning itself as the first in the nation to launch an AI + X bachelor’s degree, pending state approval.

• Pre-Professional Pathways : Interest in pre-professional programs is up 22% , preparing students for careers in healthcare, law, dentistry, veterinary medicine and more. These align with BGSU’s accelerated DPT and OTD programs, and a partnership with the University of Findlay’s pharmacy school.

• Other Growth Programs : Construction management (+ 89% ), exercise science (+27%), psychology and mental health (+ 21% ), and nursing (+ 9% ).

It’s not just about academics. BGSU’s Life Design program , which applies design thinking to help students chart their careers, continues to gain national attention and remains a key differentiator for the school.

👉🏼What This Means for the Region

For northwest Ohio, this isn’t just good news for the university, it’s good news for the entire region.

• Talent Pipeline : With strong growth in STEM, healthcare, and professional tracks, BGSU is directly feeding industries where local employers are hiring. Companies across Toledo and the I-75 corridor will benefit from a deeper pool of interns, co-ops, and graduates ready to stay in the area.

• Economic Impact : More students mean more families, more housing demand, and more local spending: from restaurants and coffee shops in downtown Bowling Green to businesses in Toledo that thrive off student activity.

• Regional Competitiveness : With in-state scholarships pulling in Michigan students and Ohio College Credit Plus programs converting high schoolers into full-time Falcons, BGSU is expanding its footprint beyond Wood County. That helps position northwest Ohio as a true hub for higher education, innovation, and workforce development.

For a city like Toledo that’s investing heavily in attracting and keeping top talent, BGSU’s record enrollment is a welcome boost. More students choosing Bowling Green isn’t just a win for the university, it’s a signal that northwest Ohio is becoming a magnet for the next generation of leaders, innovators, and professionals.

As Cecilia Castellano , BGSU’s vice president for enrollment management, put it:

And when students choose Bowling Green, they’re choosing northwest Ohio. That’s a record worth celebrating.

Unsolicited Opinion | The Data Center Gold Rush

Northwest Ohio is fast becoming a sought-after destination for data center development; with Meta’s Bowling Green site already active and whispers growing about new builds in Oregon and Waterville/Monclova. The promise is hard to miss: each 100‑MW data center brings roughly 500 construction jobs , plus 50 permanent local roles , and even more indirectly; about six indirect jobs for every one direct hire , according to PwC. Local subcontractors, from electricians to landscapers stand to gain as much from these deployments as the tech giants themselves.

However, the resources required to power and cool these facilities are staggering. Take water usage: large data centers can consume up to 5 million gallons per day ; enough to supply a town of 10,000 to 50,000 residents. Even moderates cases clock in at 300,000 gallons daily ; roughly the usage of 1,000 homes . And power demands? U.S. data centers alone could account for ~8% of electricity use in 2026 , projected to rise to 14% by 2028 . Driving infrastructure upgrades and potentially shifting costs to ratepayers. Stronger yet, by 2030, U.S. data center energy needs could rival 9% of total generation capacity   asce.org .

There’s even talk of additional nuclear power capacity under consideration to meet these new demands; underscoring the scale of the transformation underway.

That said, there’s a very real long-term question: Could Ohio become the “rustbelt of data centers” ? Technology evolves fast. If future innovations prioritize decentralized, energy-lean edge servers, or highly efficient, compact compute modules, what becomes of these massive campuses? Will their longevity outpace their flexibility?

Yes , the short-term economic boom is deliciously tangible. But without long-range planning on sustainability, adaptability, and resource management; Ohio’s newfound advantage could go the way of industrial hubs that once dominated but didn’t pivot.

The region’s challenge? Seed prosperity now, and ensure it’s not stranded by tomorrow’s pace.

Money Confessional | Two Nurses Adopting the FIRE Mentality

Meet a husband-and-wife nursing duo who logged nearly 20 years at Toledo Hospital , often on opposite shifts, always with a shared goal: financial independence. They drove the same Toyota Camrys for over a decade, brown-bagged meals, and funneled every extra dollar into their “investment army.” The payoff? Early retirement, with time freedom as their biggest dividend.

🚗  Living Situation: Paid-off ranch home in South Toledo, two trusty Camrys in the driveway. “We skipped the McMansion dreams. Instead, we poured our money into index funds and a place that felt like home—simple, quiet, ours.”

💵  Household Income: Peaked around $180K combined as RNs with overtime and shift differentials. “Stable, steady work in healthcare was our base. But the real progress came from aggressive saving, we often lived on just one salary and invested the other.”

🍽 Favorite Splurge: Anniversary dinner at Chop House . “We don’t do much luxury, but once a year we order the filet and let the aura wash over us. It’s our reminder of how far we’ve come.”

💡  Biggest Financial Worry (Then): Burnout. “The hardest part wasn’t the money—it was the grind of 12-hour shifts, weekends, holidays. FIRE gave us the out before we lost ourselves to the schedule.”

📊  Net Worth: $2.1M (mostly index funds and retirement accounts). “The number isn’t the goal; the freedom is. But it still feels good to see the statements and know we built this one paycheck at a time.”

📖  Budget Style: Ruthless simplicity. “Automated investments, line-by-line tracking, and zero lifestyle creep. Once the Camrys were paid off, we kept driving them. That discipline was everything.”

🌱  Inspiration: Time. “We wanted to retire young enough to actually enjoy it. Travel a bit, garden a lot, and spend real time with family. The hospital gave us purpose, but FIRE gave us life.”

🗣 Toledo Tip:
“Pick your splurge and protect it. For us, it was dinner at Chop House once a year. Everything else? We treated like a utility bill, pay the investments first, live on what’s left.”