(AP) — The number of students enrolled at the University of Hawaii’s 10 campuses increased this fall for the first time in a decade. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports the school’s flagship Manoa campus led the way with a 6% increase. The university’s first-year class is its largest ever. Overall, the institution’s enrollment is the highest its been since 2014. But overall enrollment at the university’s seven community colleges is down 3.2%. University officials credit the school for spreading the word about the benefits of a Manoa education. They say the perception that Hawaiʻi and the Manoa campus have managed the pandemic better than most may help.

© copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved