RELEASED: September 3, 2009

By Leigh Ivey

DANVILLE, KY— Last week, the 333 members of the Centre College Class of 2013 arrived on campus, and they arrived breaking records. 

This year's class of first-year students is not only the most diverse in Centre history but is also, according to Carey Thompson, vice president for enrollment and student planning services, "the most academically talented class in the College's history."

Fifty-nine percent of the students were in the top 10 percent of their graduating high school class, and the average ACT score was 28.6, the highest in Centre history. The acceptance rate for the Class of 2013 was 69 percent; 56 percent of the class is female; 44 percent is male.

This year also marks the beginning of Centre's partnership with the James Graham Brown Foundation. The recently launched Brown Fellows Program, the premier scholarship and enrichment program in Kentucky (and among the top in the nation), was established as an individualized course of development in which outstanding students build leadership skills through independent study, community service and experimental learning.

Having received "full-ride-plus" scholarships, ten Brown Fellows of the Class of 2013 participated in an enrichment program in Panama this summer. Each summer of their college careers, they will take part in a similar enrichment activity.

Increasing the number of international students is an important element of the College's strategic plan, and this year, 13 full-time international students will live and study at Centre. These 13, along with this year's incoming 41 minority students, make up 16 percent of the Class of 2013—making this the most diverse incoming class in the College's history.

Centre's alliance with The Posse Foundation is one of the reasons for these record-breaking numbers. The Posse Foundation is an organization that prepares promising, small groups of public high school students for enrollment at top-tier colleges around the country; Centre's Posse students are Boston-area natives. Beginning this term, 10 new Posse students joined Centre's student body. And in May, Centre will graduate its first class of Posse students.

Twenty-four states are represented among this year's first-year students, and 39 percent of the class is from out of state.

Campus visits are key to choosing a college, especially for out-of-state students who might not already be familiar with Centre and its campus. Kate Lenhart '13, of Cookeville, Tenn., was impressed by the College on her first visit during her junior year of high school.

"My family came to visit and I fell in love with the people, the campus and the classes," Lenhart says. "The size was a bonus, as well. After visiting, there was really no question where I was going."

Kevin Sar '13, an in-state student from Louisville, also chose Centre, in part, because of his campus visits.

"My experiences with the people at Centre were far better than those I had with the people at any other school," he says. "Those I met during my visit at Centre were the most gracious and kind people I met during my entire college selection process. Not only were they friendly and helpful while I was on campus, but they followed up with emails once I was back home."

No longer visitors to campus, the members of the Class of 2013 are excited about their first term at Centre.

"I'm looking forward to being challenged in the classroom and getting to know the diverse group of students here on campus," say Annie Wigginton '13 of Bloomfield, Ky. "Centre is such an amazing atmosphere, and I'm looking forward to calling it home for the next four years."

Cincinnati native Annie Roessler '13 shares these sentiments: "More than anything else, I'm looking forward to meeting new people. College is where you build connections that last a lifetime. I'm also excited, albeit a little nervous, to be independent and away from home for the first time. And, of course, I'm looking forward to starting my classes. I've always been very motivated to learn, and I'm looking forward to stimulating discussions and textbooks rich with new information."

Filled with enthusiasm as the fall term begins, Ibrahim Jadoon '13 of Richmond, Ky., perhaps voices his class's feelings best when he says, "I feel like I'm gearing up for the best four years of my life."

From participating in these stimulating discussions to studying abroad to engaging in extracurricular activities, the members of the Class of 2013 are sure to be busy during their next four years at Centre. They have already broken records, and Centre's faculty and staff hope they'll continue that trend (think Rhodes, Fulbright, Goldwater, and admission to the world's best graduate programs) during their four years at Centre. 

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Consumers Digest ranks Centre No. 1 in educational value among all U.S. 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.