Samford University has set an enrollment record for the fifth consecutive semester, according to university officials.

Spring 2012 enrollment is 4,605, topping the record spring enrollment of 4,600 set in 2011. The 2012 enrollment includes 2,760 undergraduates and 1,845 graduate and professional students. There were 64 first-time and transfer students who enrolled for spring semester.

Samford also had a record enrollment of 4,758 in fall 2011.

Spring enrollment typically is lower than fall semester enrollment because of winter graduation and a smaller number of new students who enroll mid-year, according to R. Phil Kimrey, Samford’s vice president for enrollment management.

Kimrey also noted the high retention rates from fall to spring semester, averaging 97 percent across the four undergraduate classes.

The record enrollments and high retention rates are the result of university-wide efforts, Kimrey added.

“The caliber and competitiveness of our academic programs, the appreciation of what Samford provides and the recognized value of investing in the Samford experience all have impacted why a student and family chooses to attend here,” he said. “I believe the continued expansion of the Samford name underscores why students select us. The engagement of our faculty with students continues to be a hallmark of Samford.”