Loyola welcomes the Class of 2028
![First year students move in to Loyola's Thea Bowman Hall.](/_media/news/images/2024/0830-move-in-800x534.jpg)
Loyola University Maryland is excited to welcome 1,020 new first year and transfer students to the community for the Fall 2024 semester. The Class of 2028 was officially inducted into the Loyola community and pledged the Honor Code at New Student Convocation on Friday, Aug. 30.
The Class of 2028 brings a strong academic record, with an average GPA of 3.64. Additionally, 39% of the incoming class identify as students of color, 25% are Pell eligible, and 22% are first-generation students. This reflects Loyola’s dedication to providing access to higher education for students from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
“It is my distinct pleasure to welcome such a talented and diverse group of students to the Loyola family,” said Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president of Loyola. “Convocation is one of the most exciting times of the year, as future leaders and changemakers embark on the transformational journey of a Jesuit, liberal arts education. We are eager to get to know these students better and see all that they accomplish at Loyola and beyond.”
The Class of 2028 hails from 36 U.S. states, two U.S. territories, and 13 countries. Maryland is the most represented state, followed by New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Virginia, Delaware, Florida, and Rhode Island.
“We are thrilled to welcome the Class of 2028 to our Evergreen campus,” said Eric Nichols, vice president for enrollment management. “This class builds upon our recent successes in enrolling a racially and socioeconomically diverse group of students with near record-setting enrollments of students of color, first-generation students, and Pell-eligible students. It is encouraging to see how the Loyola experience is resonating with prospective families and how that manifests itself in these recent classes.”
Kerry Tan, Ph.D., professor of economics and Loyola’s Distinguished Teacher of the Year, spoke at the New Student Convocation. Tan’s research areas include the airline industry, industrial organization, and applied microeconomics.
“As you progress through your academic career here at Loyola, I want you to be ambitious, committed, and persistent,” Tan said. “Because I’m proof that if you dream big, work hard, and never give up, then nothing is impossible.”
First-Year Fall Welcome Weekend will continue through Monday, Sept. 2, with a variety of events to allow new students to connect with their classmates and get acclimated to life on Loyola’s Evergreen campus.
This year’s common text for Messina is Not Too Late: Changing the Climate Story from Despair to Possibility by Rebecca Solnit and Thelma Young Lutunatabua. Loyola faculty members, administrators, and students chose this book largely because of the broad range of essays and experiences the book offers about leadership, advocacy, and caring for our common home.