Welcome to Class of 2017!
Selected from a record 8,300 applications, the Class of 2017 has arrived.
“I was anxious and excited about moving to college, but Skidmore has already become my home,” says Meaghan Wood ’17 as she waits with her new classmates to proceed into Skidmore’s gymnasium for convocation.
Wood probably isn’t the only one who feels that way. The 634 members of the Class of 2017 (31 are in London already for the first year abroad) arrived on campus Labor Day weekend. They’ve had a few days jam-packed with meeting new roommates, unpacking, attending information sessions, buying books, and navigating campus. And now, they are settling in before classes begin on September 3.
Selected from a record 8,300 applications, these students come from 35 states and 31 foreign countries. Eight percent of the class is international and 6% hold dual passports, 22% are self-identified students of color, and 42% received need-based financial aid.
“As we got to know you throughout the Admissions process, we were struck by the extraordinary number of you who have made a considerable commitment to volunteerism and community service during high school,” Mary Lou Bates, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, addressed the crowd at convocation. Students have ties to soup kitchens, Habitat for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, the Special Olympics, and at orphanages in Rwanda, Nepal, and Ethopia.
In addition to English, students speak 33 different languages, including Teluga, Tagalong, Sotho, Urdu, and Amharic. They have traveled or lived in all of the countries in Eastern and Western Europe, plus a few others such as Australia, Brazil, India, Bolivia, and Tanzania; and have held jobs as stone masons, park rangers, and even a locksmith.
At convocation, students also heard from Skidmore’s President Philip A. Glotzbach; Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Beau Breslin; Director of the First-Year Experience, Janet Casey; Student Government Association President, Sam Harris; and President of the Stewarts Foundation, Susan Law Dake ’71.
Following convocation, students and their families retreated to Scribner House for a reception with President Glotzbach and his wife, Marie, as well as members of the Admissions staff and faculty. From there, students are on their own as parents say goodbye and leave campus. They top off the night with an ice cream social.
New student orientation continues until September 6. Events throughout the week include discussions centered on diversity, college life, and the summer reading book The Other Wes Moore by Wes Moore. Orientation culminates with the Student Club Fair on the Green.
