Fordham University’s incoming first-year class is the third-largest class and the most diverse in the university’s history.
According to Patricia Peek, associate vice president and dean of undergraduate admissions, 27% of Fordham’s Class of 2028 are first-generation college students. 50% of the class are students of color, the highest percentage for a single class year Fordham has seen in its history. Fordham’s third-largest class has over 2,500 students.
“Our Pell percentage also increased to 31%, which is an indicator of our socio-economic diversity and our commitment to increasing our efforts to provide more need-based financial aid,” said Peek.
Last year’s first-year class was labeled Fordham’s most diverse class in the school’s history, with 24% of students being first-generation students and 48% students of color.
Nearly 600 students represent the five boroughs this year, including a 32% increase in students from the Bronx and an 11% increase in students from Manhattan. Peek stressed that “for more than a decade, the university has been focusing on increasing diversity” by creating more programming with “focused information for students from various identities and experiences.”
8% of the incoming first-year class are international students, hailing from 55 different countries. The domestic Class of 2028 population comes from 46 states and three U.S. territories. Outside of the tri-state area, California, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania sent the most students to join Fordham’s incoming class.
“As a freshman, I’m so excited to explore all of the clubs I signed up for at the club fair,” said Adela Panariti, FCRH ’28. “There are so many more in comparison to high school, so I’m ready to see what those have to offer. I’m also excited for all the internships and fairs that Fordham has to offer, that’s something I never got to explore in high school.”
The incoming class participated in New Student Orientation from Aug. 25-27, with resident students moving into their dorms on that Sunday.
“I’m most excited for softball and meeting new people and making friends,” said Gia Spinelli, FCRH ‘28.
The incoming class has an average SAT score of 1404 and an average high school GPA of a 3.64 on a 4.0 scale.
“This is a very talented group of students who bring strong academic preparation and resilience,” said Peek. “They are artists, writers, entrepreneurs and servant leaders who I am confident will continue to enrich the Fordham community.”
