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RELEASED: Sept. 1, 2005
DANVILLE, KY—Members of Centre College's largest freshman class ever were all smiles as they received welcome assistance moving into their dorms from faculty, staff, fellow students and Centre president John Roush.
In what has become an annual tradition, the Centre community greeted the freshmen the moment they arrived in the parking lot. Some had all their gear inside their dorm room in fewer than five minutes.
"Helping freshman get settled in sets an important tone as soon as they arrive," said president Roush. "We promise our students personal education, and we want them to know from the moment they first set foot on campus that our promise of the personal touch will be kept."
The record 318 freshmen in the class of 2009 reflect the high academic profile Centre has traditionally maintained, and features the most out-of-state students in Centre history.
Academically, more than half of students (56 percent) were in the top 10 percent of their high school class, and the average ACT score is 27.5. Both are consistent with Centre's numbers from over the past 10 years and represent the strongest new-student profile of any Kentucky college or university.
The class is 54 percent female and 46 percent male. Twenty-six states and seven foreign countries are represented. More than four out of 10 Centre freshmen plan to compete on a varsity team. Nineteen freshmen are receiving Fine Arts scholarships for music or drama. And the Class of 2009 includes the inaugural group of Bonner Scholars, five students chosen to participate in a national service-leadership scholarship program.
Classes at the College begin Monday, September 5.
A complete schedule of freshman orientation activities is available online at [link: http://www.centre.edu/web/news/2005/fr_orient05.doc].
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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/
For news archives go to http://www.centre.edu/web/news/newsarchive.html.
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Danville, KY 40422
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