GREEN BAY, Wis. — The size of the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay was one of the things Erika Schraufnagel liked when she was picking her college.

She’s a first-year student from Franklin.

“My class sizes, my largest one is 60 people, and that’s one of my gen-eds, but smaller ones are maybe five students,” Schraufnagel said. “You really get that one-on-one connection and you get the help that you need with things.”

She’s studying electrical engineering and taking a few businesses courses too.

(Spectrum News 1/Nathan Phelps)

“Next semester I have electrical circuits, one as a class and a lab, and I finally get to have hands-on classes and that I’m really looking forward to,” she said.

The University of Wisconsin system currently has about 160,000 students statewide. That’s down about 1% from last fall.

But campuses such as UW-Green Bay are working to find new learners.

That means offering opportunities for non-traditional working students as well as the Rising Phoenix program that allows students to earn associate’s degrees in high school.

“We did see an increase in local students both for Brown County and our 16-county footprint as well as significant growth within Rising Phoenix and our students of color and Hispanic and Latino students,” said Provost Kate Burns.

It’s growth the university is striving to maintain by working to meet potential students where they are in life.

(Spectrum News 1/Nathan Phelps)

“We are trying to look at specific student populations for where we can focus our energies and have the best strategies,” Burns said. “We’re excited about that and we’re hoping that helps our overall enrollment as well for the future.”

Wrapping up her first semester, Schraufnagel said she’s looking forward to what the next few years may have in store for her. That includes more involvement with student groups on campus like Women in Technology.

“I’m hoping next semester, I hope to be more involved in that because then I can participate in the robots and the electrical part,” she said.