Welcome home, Disney princess actress, squirrel assaulter (look it up on YouTube), coffee shop CEO, and all the rest of you 709. You belong to one of the highest caliber classes ever to enter Furman’s gates.
According to Brad Pochard, Associate VP for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions, the class of 2019 is a group of high academic achievers and community leaders with diverse interests.
“The many talents, skills and experiences that these students bring, both in and out of the classroom, are impressive,” Pochard said.
Admissions Department data proves these statements true. The incoming students have an average GPA of approximately 3.74 on a 4.0 scale for core classes. In typical Furman fashion, the Class of 2019 is not only intelligent, but also passionate with extensive commitment outside the classroom.
This new freshman class is comprised of valedictorians, Beta club members, Junior ROTC participants, and a multitude of club presidents. Almost 15 percent have travelled outside the country and more than 20 percent played major roles in community service projects.
According to Pochard, the Class of 2019 is also more diverse than previous freshman classes. Approximately 17 percent of the incoming class is non-white; this is up from a previous percentage of about 15. With students from all ethnicities, religions, cultures, and socioeconomic statuses the incoming class is helping Furman to become more representative of the outside world than ever before.
“We’ve done some neat things for multicultural recruitment. Allyson Brown, who is our Assistant Director and who coordinates our multicultural recruitment, has developed two or three new recruitment programs such as the Multicultural Achievement Program and Furman Diversity Connection,” Pochard said.
These programs are designed to introduce deserving students to all of the opportunities that Furman has to offer and it seems to be working. Furman saw a 10 percent increase in applications just over the last year.
The freshmen may have just settled into their new dorm rooms, but Pochard already has next year’s incoming class on his mind. The admission team plans to continue to promote multicultural enrollment, more balanced male to female ratios, and legacy student application and enrollment.
“We want families and students who understand the value of a Furman education. We want to have that retention, not just from year to year, but also through generations,” Pochard said.
Photos courtesy of Amanda Richey and Nathan Rivers
Students from the Class of 2019 attended the Student Activities Fair Wed. Aug. 26 to sign up for various clubs. Just under 100 organizations were represented.