• 438 freshman Belles committed to service
By MOLLY McVOY
Saint Mary's Editor
Escorted by minivans bursting with dorm essentials, 438 first-year students arrived on campus Thursday ready to construct their lofts and their futures.
The first-year students will also be constructing the future of the College as the largest class to be admitted since 1989. Like several women's colleges nationwide, Saint Mary's experienced a boost in admissions because of an increased popularity in women's colleges this fall. The incoming class is the largest class to be admitted in recent history at the College, according to Mary Pat Nolan, director of Admissions.
"Women's colleges, on the whole, are on the upswing," Nolan said. "We have strong visibility in the marketplace. People are looking to us for strong academics."
This first-year class is also a step toward a more diverse campus for Saint Mary's. The 9 percent minority population is an increase from last year's incoming class, according to Nolan.
"[Increasing diversity] is definitely a focus area. We're definitely targeting our efforts to increase those numbers," Nolan said. "It's all part of enriching the experience for all students."
The class of 2004 is also a more geographically diverse group of students. Last year, 80 percent of the first-year students came from the Midwest while this year, only 75 percent are from the region. There is an increase in students from the South, the West and the Northeast.
"We're more national this year," Nolan said. "That's something we're very excited about. We come from 37 states and four countries."
In addition to increased diversity, the class of 2004 has strong academic numbers and involvement in many extra-curricular activities. This class stands out in their commitment to service, according to Nolan.
"A common thread in this class is community service," she said. "They are involved in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and Habitat for Humanity projects. They're working in homeless shelters and visiting the convalescent."
Nolan sees these students continuing that commitment to service in their college years.
"I get a sense from this group that there is a high level of enthusiasm," she said. "They want to get involved at Saint Mary's and make this community and the surrounding community a better place to live."
Academically, these first-year students are very similar to past classes that have graduated from Saint Mary's college. The middle 50 percent of the incoming class has a composite SAT score of 1020-1200, a high school grade point average of 3.34-3.86 and an ACT of 22-26. The class also includes 13 valedictorians and six salutatorians.
"[These students] are really dynamic individuals and it will be really exciting to see them come together as a class," Nolan explained.
In addition to 438 first year students, Saint Mary's is also welcoming 52 transfer students and 20 students in the Holy Cross-Saint Mary's link program.
"[Transfer students] too are looking for the kind of experience we can offer them," Nolan said. "The really exciting thing is that they have been somewhere else. They know what they want and they chose us."
The link program with Holy Cross offers students an opportunity to attend Holy Cross College for a year and then transfer to Saint Mary's. During the year at Holy Cross, the students have the opportunity to be involved in all activities at Saint Mary's.
"With a year in the [link] program, the students can enhance their academic potential and they'll fit right in," Nolan explained.
Nolan feels that this class, like the classes in the past will contribute to Saint Mary's community and find what they were looking for in a college in their experience at Saint Mary's.
"The women who choose Saint Mary's have made the selection so carefully that they're happy here and they will stay and graduate," she said.
All News Stories for Saturday, August 19, 2000
