Highlights from the update include growth in enrollment, increasing its revenue by 50%, established programs to enhance its Franciscan Mission & Identity

(HAMBURG, New York) Hilbert College published an update for its most recent college-wide strategic plan. This update showcases the current activities and progress they’ve implemented to meet its 2025 vision plan.

Launched in 2019, through the leadership of the President’s Council and the Board of Trustees, the Hilbert College community expressed its 2025 vision with this Statement of Strategic Intent: “Our intent is to grow enrollment while deepening our Franciscan and Catholic college mission, strengthening our financial position, optimizing our current intellectual and physical assets, and fulfilling our potential as a vital liberal arts institution in Western New York.” This plan lays the groundwork for increasing Hilbert College’s impact as a leader in Franciscan College and western New York community by establishing strategies and targets to expand access and enhance student success, academic offerings, post-college outcomes, and the system’s infrastructure resources.

Hilbert shared its first update on its progress since unveiling this Statement of Strategic Intent in 2019.  There are four key goals they are focusing their efforts on:

• Goal #1: Enhancing our Franciscan Mission & Identity
• Goal #2: Growing Enrollment
• Goal #3: Strengthen Academic Performance & the Student Experience
• Goal #4: Strengthen Financial Position

In line with these four goals, Hilbert College has demonstrated tremendous progress highlighted below:

• Hilbert College grew its enrollment by more than 30%, reaching a ten-year high of 1,000 students in 2023. It has reached record highs of enrollment in 2022 and 2023. Additionally, Hilbert increased their NCAA program to 18 sports, doubling the number of students athletes as well as expanded the dual enrollment program, tripling enrollment and reaching an all-time high participation rate of 39 Western New York high schools.
• Advanced its Franciscan mission and identity by establishing robust Franciscan-centered hiring and training programs for all employees, creating equity in benefits programs for all employees, and continued to grow its Franciscan Day of Caring, a campus-wide service day for all Hilbert community members to serve the mission of over two dozen community partners.
• Strengthened its academic performance and student experience by unveiling new Biology, Drug and Alcohol Counseling, Peace and Social Justice, Cybersecurity, and Intelligence and Data Analysis degree programs. Additionally, Hilbert College developed 24 new international study abroad opportunities and expanded wellness services through local health provider partners.
• Hilbert College strengthened its financial position by tripling annual fundraising results, bringing in nearly 50 foundation grants, and doubled alumni giving. Overall, Hilbert has increased revenue by more than 50% and balanced its annual operating budget. Through the support of Franciscan Services, created a two-college consortium with Valley College (WV and OH) that provided immediate efficiency with shared services, and long-term synergies with online programs.

“For more than 65 years, Hilbert College has served as an important vehicle of upward mobility, ensuring accessible, quality education to all students in western New York and communities beyond,” said President Dr. Michael Brophy. “Our community and the Board of Trustees remains deeply committed to upholding the unique role that Hilbert College serves and will continue on this path to 2025 and decades to come.”

For more details, view our updated scorecard (PDF).