Ever since they first arrived on campus in late summer 2020, Skidmore’s Class of 2024 has demonstrated resilience, determination, and drive. They’ve stuck together, stood up for what they believed in, and worked to make a difference — on campus and beyond.  

Many missed out on high school graduation ceremonies in the months following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. With hope but also lingering uncertainty, the Class of 2024 courageously arrived on Skidmore’s campus in August 2020 for an in-person fall semester that included online and hybrid course options along with weekly testing, masking, and social distancing.

“The possibility of experiencing a Skidmore fall semester, with great learning and memorable experiences, is precious,” President Marc C. Conner said as he welcomed the class at Convocation, which was held virtually for the first time. “Let’s do it.” 

And they did. It wasn’t easy. There was a lot of Zoom sessions and carryout food from the dining hall. Varsity sports, study abroad experiences, and many in-person activities were put on hold. Other traditions were held virtually or canceled. But the Class of 2024 persevered, forged a forever bond in the process, and discovered quiet moments of joy.

By the start of their sophomore year, the class began to see signs of "normalcy," including enhanced quality time with new friends and mentors, as well as the opportunity to finally explore Saratoga Springs and enjoy the perks of life in the region.  

By fall 2022, students were again engaged in campus traditions like camping outside the Tang Teaching Museum as part of its Roommate art loan program — or simply enjoying the company of friends at the Arts Quad Party or at a creative theme night in the dining hall. Athletics came roaring back, and members of the class again traveled the world — about half taking advantage of off-campus study opportunities. 

Filled with excitement, their senior year was markedly different from their first. But it was also marred by global tragedy and appeals to create a different future.

The Class of 2024 is ambitious, determined, and initiators of change. They fight for what they believe in and are motivated to create positive change.” 

Vicky Grijalva '24

Senior Class President

Throughout it all, the power of human connection persisted. And this April, the Skidmore community congregated on Case Green, united by beautiful weather and a rare near-total solar eclipse. It was a fitting bookend for the Class of 2024, who marveled at the celestial phenomenon that transformed the skies above Skidmore’s campus in 98% totality. In the end, the sun and hope about the future shone through.  

As Skidmore’s Class of 2024 prepares to process across the stage in person — many for the first time since middle school — we know this milestone is but the opening chapter in the history that these students are writing every day.  

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650 Graduates

447 B.A. and 203 B.S. candidates

 

Academics

In true multidisciplinary fashion, the 650 graduates have collectively completed 779 majors and 318 minors. Their most popular majors were management and business, psychology, English, political science, studio art, and economics. Their most popular minors were media and film studies, arts administration, art, business, education studies, and international affairs. They have collected hundreds of awards and memberships in national honor societies, are the co-authors of published research, and have presented at numerous academic conferences.  

Members of the Class of 2024 participated in more than 60 faculty-student summer collaborative research projects. Ninety individuals took advantage of the Summer Experience Fund and SEE-Beyond to pursue internships and other experiences that broadened their horizons and supported their dreams. Another 16 students were awarded post-grad awards.  

This year's Academic Festival featured more than 180 seniors from disciplines spanning the arts, sciences, social sciences, humanities, and pre-professional studies.  

Athletics

In the classroom, 51 senior student-athletes earned a grade point average of 3.67 or higher, including 17 who had perfect 4.0 GPAs when they were inducted in the Thoroughbred Society this spring.  

* Does not yet include women’s and men's rowing.

Campus Life

Beginning with their summer reading book — Ted Chiang’s “Stories of Your Life and Others” — and fueled by the concept that Creative Thought Matters, members of the Class of 2024 have made campus their own.  
 
The Student Government Association worked to make laundry free in residence halls and apartments and created a green grant that allowed students to complete sustainability-related projects on campus.  

 

Looking forward

Success in this moment, and for all those down the line, will mean something different to each member of the Class of 2024, as it has for decades of Skidmore College graduates. As we look forward to celebrating all our 2024 graduates in the coming months and years, quite a few already have some exciting news to share. From first jobs to graduate schools, some of the places they're headed to include: 

Employment

• ABA Therapy for Autism
• Advocate Commercial Real-estate Advisors
• Alphasights
• Anatomage Medical
• Ankura Consulting
• BAE Systems
• Butler Hospital, Brown University
• Cambridge Associates
• Cedar Circle Farm and Education Center
• Center for Regenerative Medicine Lab, Boston Medical Center
• Center Stage Dance Studio
• Chicago Botanical Garden
• Deloitte
• Ernst and Young
• Esri Solutions Engineering
• Farmhouse Pottery
• Geosyntec Consultants
• Grant Thornton LLP
• Kuchnir Dermatology
• Lightcast
• Lloyd Sadd
• Mass General Hospital
• New York City Independent Budget Office
• NFP
• Ora Inc.
• Orenda Power Inc.
• Pathstone Family Office
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Saratoga Bridges
• Santander
• Sloan Kettering Research Lab
• The Packer Collegiate Institute
• Wells Fargo
• Wesleyan University
• Waghmare Lab, UMass Lowell

CREATIVE DIRECTIONS 

• Tang Museum: Three grads are completing endowed internships this summer at the Tang  
• Fulbright grant to teach English in Paris
• Austrian combined Fulbright grant to teach English and do research at the University of Vienna 
• SPY Projects internship at a Los Angeles art gallery
• Anderson Ranch photo internship in Snowmass, Colorado
• Varsity sports: Four graduates enrolled in grad programs will continue their athletics careers 

FURTHER EDUCATION 

• Brandeis University, Ph.D. in Mathematics
• Brown University, Master of Public Affairs
• Clarkson University, MBA
• Columbia School of Social Work, Master of Science in Social Work
• Columbia University, Ph.D. in Chemical Biology
• Cornell University, Ph.D. in Plant Biology
• Dartmouth College, 3+2 Master in Engineering
• Emory University, Doctor of Physical Therapy
• Fairfield University, MBA
• Fordham University, Master’s in Finance
• Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, M.S. in Nursing
• Johns Hopkins University, M.S. in Marketing and Business
• King's College London, MSc, Clinical Neuroscience
• Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Master's in Nursing
• Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Master’s with dual degrees in Adult Gerontology and Women’s Health
• McMaster University, Master’s in Engineering Design
• New York University, M.S. in Global Hospitality Management
• Newcastle University, M.A. in Cross-Cultural Communication and Education
• Newcastle University, MSc, International Management and Business
• Northeastern University, MSA/MBA in Accounting
• Nova Southeastern University, Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology
• Syracuse University, Ph.D. in Biology
• Trinity College Dublin, M.Phil./P.Grad.Dip. Medieval Studies
• Tufts University, M.S. in Economics
• Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Master’s in Nutrition Interventions, Communication, and Behavior Change
• Tufts University School of Medicine, Doctor of Physical Therapy
• University of Arizona, Ph.D. in Biochemistry 
• University of California Irvine, Ph.D. in Economics
• University of California, Merced, Ph.D. in Biochemistry
• University of Copenhagen, M.A. in Cognition and Communication
• University of Missouri, M.S. in Geology
• University of Pennsylvania, M.S.Ed., Education Policy
• University of Southern Maine, Master of Occupational Therapy
• University of Vermont, Master’s in Pharmacology
• Vanderbilt University, M.Ed., Human Development Studies
• Vanderbilt University, Ph.D. in English
• West Virginia University, Ph.D. in Plasma Physics
• Worcester State University, M.S. in Speech and Language Therapy
• Yale University, Master’s in English