By Michael Amado
At a university like Saint Mary, the student population is not high in numbers. This year, there are 1,254 students enrolled in classes on the various campuses. The University belongs to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics with over 65,000 athletes across the country. At USM, there are a total 776 student athletes, which makes up 61% of the student body. A little more than half of the population belongs to another sub-group on campus. It is a unique characteristic to the school, as most of the students are involved in other programs outside of their education.
The athletes of Saint Mary are diverse in many aspects, especially those who come from all over the world and the United States. As for USM, the states with the most athletes come from Kansas, Missouri, California and Texas. Only 13 of the 50 states are not represented by students at USM, making the school comprised of students from more than 75% of the country.
Most student athletes who come to an NAIA, are pursuing a degree that will be more practical to them after college. As for the students at USM, the major with the most students is biology with 34% of the student body. The top four majors include Biology, Business Admin, Nursing and Sports Management. As for the student athletes, the top four majors are Biology, Business Admin, Sports Management and Exercise Science.
USM has a diverse student body and a large group of student athletes. This is another reason the University of Saint Mary is a special place to belong.
USM SPIRE-TIMES 