Submitted by Office of Communications and Marketing Florida Memorial University
MIAMI GARDENS, FL — Florida Memorial University (FMU) today announced that Fall 2026 enrollment has reached 2,556 students, the largest enrollment in the university’s 147-year history and a 100 percent increase over Fall 2025. The milestone marks a defining moment in FMU’s ongoing institutional transformation and reaffirms the university’s standing as South Florida’s only Historically Black College or University (HBCU).
The record enrollment reflects renewed confidence from students, families, and the broader community in FMU’s academic mission, campus investment, and leadership under President William Cullen McCormick, Jr., the university’s 15th president and first alumnus to hold the role.
“Let history record this moment,” said President McCormick, “in 147 years, no enrollment has ever been larger than this one. A 100 percent increase in enrollment is not an accident of circumstance; it is the direct result of decisive leadership, disciplined execution, strategic innovation, and an institution that refuses to be defined by its critics. We told this community that our response to doubt would not be words, but results.” Today, 2,556 students stand as living evidence of what is possible when vision is matched with action.
This is not a peak. This is our new floor. Florida Memorial University has established a new standard for what we can achieve—and we are not finished. We will build higher, reach farther, and continue to move this University forward with purpose, courage, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
Enrollment growth, when accompanied by academic integrity and institutional investment, reflects a university’s capacity to expand opportunity while preserving excellence. “At Florida Memorial University, our growth strengthens while preserving the quality and rigor of the FMU academic experience. We are demonstrating that scale and standards can advance together, with student success and academic excellence remaining at the center of our mission. That is the standard we have set for ourselves, and it is the measure by which our continued progress should be evaluated.”
FMU officials point to the enrollment surge as evidence of the university’s broader momentum, including expanded recruitment efforts, strengthened community partnerships, and renewed institutional stability following a period of public scrutiny. University leadership has stated that its response to challenges has been to deliver measurable results rather than react to criticism.
“This historic enrollment milestone is a powerful affirmation that students and families are choosing Florida Memorial University because they see a clear pathway to opportunity, excellence, and success,” said Dr. Tymon M. Graham, Vice President for Student Affairs. “Our enrollment growth reflects the impact of a focused recruitment strategy, stronger community partnerships, and an unwavering university-wide commitment to student success.”
Florida Memorial University’s Fall 2026 enrollment embodies the institution’s founding values of Leadership, Character, and Service, and reflects the university’s guiding promise: Rooted in Legacy. Rising in Excellence.
About Florida Memorial University
Florida Memorial University is a private, four-year Historically Black College or University located in Miami Gardens, Florida. Founded in 1879, FMU is South Florida’s only HBCU and has a 147-year legacy of academic excellence, leadership development, and community impact. The university is committed to preparing students for global citizenship through scholarship, service, and lifelong leadership.
