Allegheny College is proud to announce that it matriculated 397 first-year and transfer students earlier today, Monday, August 24.
The new cohort — composed of 375 first-year students and 22 transfer students — hails from across the globe and already builds upon the College’s reputation as one of the nation’s premier liberal arts institutions through their academic excellence and artistic endeavors.
Flanked by faculty members, the Class of 2030 processes toward Raymond P. Shafer Auditorium ahead of the Matriculation Ceremony.
The total number of students is a 20% increase compared to last year’s enrollment.
“Allegheny is honored to welcome its largest class in the last five years,” said Jennifer Winge, vice president for enrollment management. “We’re thrilled to have formally minted the Class of 2030 and our transfer students as Gators, and can’t wait to see how their contributions enrich our campus.”
Allegheny College’s class of 2030 includes representation from 27 states and Washington D.C., with about half coming from Pennsylvania.
Through primary and secondary citizenship or home address, the cohort represents 29 distinct countries.
“Home” for the new matriculates ranges from less than a quarter mile to nearly 9,400 miles from the College’s historic Bentley Hall.
Of the incoming class, about half graduated high school with above a 3.6 unweighted grade point average, and one tenth — 40 — held a 4.0. For students who reported a class rank, 55% graduated among the top quarter of their high school graduating class.
President Ron Cole ’87 delivers an opening address to the new students.
Winge added that Allegheny’s enrollment growth is a direct result of redoubled efforts to put community connection at the forefront of the application process. About 16% of matriculants — 61 students — were referred by Allegheny students, alumni, or trustees, and received a $4,000 Alumni Referral Grant. Additionally, the number of admitted students who toured Allegheny rose by 13% this academic year.
“Allegheny is becoming more of a first-choice school for more students, and two of the biggest drivers of that trend are invitations from other Gators or simply coming to visit” Winge said. “An Allegheny education is top-notch, and experiencing the beauty of our campus and the vibrancy of our community culture seals the deal for many students and their families.”
According to incoming student applications, 81% indicated interest in more than one academic program, reinforcing the relevance of Allegheny College’s distinct academic requirement to pursue both a major and a minor in different disciplines. The class’s top five most common choices for majors included:
- Business
- Biology
- Psychology
- Undeclared/Undecided
- Environmental Science and Sustainability
Although — as the data reflects — many incoming students arrive with a desired course of study, they are not required to declare a major until the end of their sophomore year to promote interdisciplinary exploration. In her Matriculation address, First-Year Class Dean Aacha Brown-Gregg told the incoming class that academic discovery is a core feature of Allegheny’s educational experience.
A student quartet leads the singing of Allegheny College’s Alma Mater at the conclusion of the ceremony.
“Over the next four years, … your professors will encourage you to think critically, ask difficult questions, and explore ideas from multiple perspectives; you will discover new interests, make lifelong friendships, and perhaps even change your mind about what you want to study or who you want to become,” Brown-Gregg said. “That is not only okay — it is one of the greatest gifts of a liberal arts education.”
Forty-seven members of the class are recipients of Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) scholarships across various artistic disciplines: studio art, dance and movement studies, filmmaking, music, and theatre. Class of 2030 enrollees nearly double the number of winners among instrumentalists and vocalists compared to past creative cohorts.
While many CAPA recipients expand their artistic endeavors into a major or minor, extracurricular participation in the program is the only requirement to maintain the scholarship for their college career.
The incoming class arrives on campus with a long list of accolades; students have published research on new bacteria strains, developed digital board games, conducted advanced studies on spinal cords, crafted designer clothes in a “Junk Kouture” fashion show, and competed in national unicycle competitions.
“You have chosen Allegheny College for the same reason we have chosen you: because we believe that engaging in the best liberal arts education will lead you to extraordinary outcomes,” President Ron Cole said. “This is now your community — embrace it with your unique talents, interests, and experiences. We are a stronger and better place because you are here.”
