Class of 2030 Sets Bucknell Record with 1,067 Students

Bucknell University will open its 181st academic year on Monday, Aug. 24, with a record overall student enrollment for a sixth straight year, bolstered by its largest incoming class in University history. The Class of 2030 numbers 1,067 new students — surpassing last year's record of 1,040 students — selected from among 10,661 applicants.

As of Aug. 18, Bucknell's total student body comprises a record 4,054 students, including 3,932 degree-seeking undergraduates, 89 non-degree undergraduates and 33 graduate students. That surpasses last year's record opening total enrollment of 3,969 students.

Students in the new class hail from 38 states, the District of Columbia, and 51 countries and regions. The class has an average high school GPA of 3.6, slightly higher than last year's 3.58.

"What stands out about the Class of 2030 is the extraordinary breadth of experiences they bring to Bucknell," says Vice President of Enrollment Management & Dean of Admissions Kevin Mathes '07. "They arrive as researchers, entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, community leaders and volunteers, and many have already made a meaningful impact in their schools and communities. We're excited to see what they'll accomplish when they bring those experiences together here at Bucknell."

Diverse Achievements
This year's incoming class includes students whose accomplishments span academic research, the arts, athletics, entrepreneurship, leadership and service.

Members of the class have conducted scholarship in fields ranging from cardiovascular medicine and adolescent development to air pollution, economics, mathematical modeling and brain-computer interfaces. They have published research in the Journal of Emerging Investigators and Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine and participated in programs including the National Science Foundation BIOMAN Academy, Westinghouse Science Honors Institute and the New Jersey Governor’s School of Engineering and Technology.

In the arts, one student's original work was displayed at the Museum of Modern Art, while another created more than 40 original pixel-animation videos and 200 individual artworks. The class also includes a student who launched a professional photography business in high school, a screenwriter developing an original television series, and accomplished dancers, musicians and theatre performers.

Athletically, the class includes a Baseball Canada national champion, a nationally-ranked golfer, a national club champion and Junior Olympian in field hockey, and a tennis player with a top-20 national doubles ranking. Other students have competed at the Junior Olympic and international levels, including one who won silver at the U20 Rowing Nationals at age 16 and another selected to represent Team North America at the Capelli Sport+ Cup Denmark youth soccer tournament.

Members of the class have also gained notable professional experience, with students interning or working with organizations including the World Bank, Fidelity Investments, T. Rowe Price, ABC's Good Morning America and WWF-Pakistan. Others have pursued experiences in robotics, biomedical research, architecture, environmental engineering and healthcare, while one student started an independent sneaker-reselling business.

Service is another hallmark of the class. Students have helped raise significant funds for organizations supporting medically fragile children, cancer research, homeless veterans and youth sports. Others have coordinated blood drives, tutored underserved students, supported disaster relief and launched nonprofit and humanitarian initiatives serving communities in the United States and around the world.

"As impressive as the accomplishments of the Class of 2030 are, I'm even more excited by the curiosity, initiative and sense of purpose behind them," Mathes said. "These are students who haven't simply participated, they've started businesses, conducted research, led organizations, served their communities and pursued their passions at an incredibly high level, and I know they'll bring that same energy to the Bucknell community."