About 2,150 first-year students are enrolling in UD classes this year, with about 8,700 undergraduate students beginning classes next Monday.
UD said nearly 20% of the incoming class are eligible for the federal Pell Grant, a financial aid award for undergraduates who demonstrate significant financial need. Nearly 19% of freshmen are from historically underrepresented groups.
UD also expects growth in graduate and professional enrollment, and total enrollment is expected to exceed 11,500, which eclipses the university’s record high established last year.
“We certainly are much more diverse campus than we were five years ago, which I know is important to the institution and important to our overall goal of being a community resource for the Dayton area,” said Cari Wallace, assistant vice president for student development.
Jason Reinoehl, vice president for strategic enrollment management, said the university’s efforts are making UD a more inclusive community.
“The incoming class further builds on our success of improving access and affordability by being completely transparent about our price and creating many new programs and offices to support military-affiliated students, lower-income and transfer students,” Reinoehl said.
UD is not requiring students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 this year, though the university is strongly encouraging everyone to get a vaccine. Everyone on UD’s campus is required to wear a mask inside of UD buildings.
Wallace said if there is a COVID-19 outbreak at UD, the university is “ready to pivot.”
“We do have tentative plans in place,” Wallace said, though she said she could not share specifics.
Shane McGriff, a sophomore at UD, said he hopes COVID-19 is not as much of a factor this year. Last year, he said he couldn’t have friends in his dorm to play games.
“I’m just looking forward to just being able to connect with people more than I was able to last year and also, meet new people,” McGriff said.
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