MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Data show that the University of Minnesota's 2019 freshmen class is the biggest in 50 years and includes the most students of color in the school's history.

The Minnesota Daily reported recently the Office of Institutional Research's numbers reveal that most freshmen _ about 54% _ are female. In 2010, 18% of the freshman class was students of color. Now, minority students make up more than a quarter of this year's class.

Vice provost and dean of the school's Office of Undergraduate Education Bob McMaster says part of the rise is because of changes in Minnesota high schools, which have seen demographic shifts in recent years.

Still, the number of black students remains relatively small. About 5% of new students are black, up slightly from over 4% a decade ago.

More From AM 1240 WJON