Posted by Tara Lerman
On Sunday, Sept. 4, in the Big Gym of the Williamson Sports and Recreation Center, the 633 students in the class of 2015 attended New Student Convocation, where they were formally matriculated into the college. An additional 34 first year students arrived on campus approximately two weeks earlier, before departing for London, where they will spend their first semester of college.
During convocation President Philip Glotzbach, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Mary Lou Bates, Interim Dean of the Faculty Beau Breslin, Charles Wait from the Adirondack Trust Company and Student Government Association President Jonathan Zeidan ‘12, each addressed the incoming class.
The male-to-female breakdown for the class of 2015 is 42 percent male and 58 percent female, similar to that of previous years. More than a quarter of the class – 171 students – identified themselves as students of color in their applications. Of those students, 134 are domestic, and 37 are international. International students make up 6 percent of the class, the highest percentage that the college has ever had.
"The class of 2015 is off to a great start," said Marla Melito, the interim director of the First Year Experience. "They were engaged and enthusiastic during pre-orientation and orientation programs and seem to be settling into life at Skidmore."
Among the differences between high school life and college life, these first year students must accustom themselves to sharing rooms with other students. "Most of the class is in a tripled room," said Ann Marie Przywara, associate director of Residential Life.
"For housing concerns, first-year students should consult the Roommate Connections publication they received in their orientation folder. It is a great resource with tips, myths, facts and scripts on how to develop good roommate relationships. They should also connect with their resident advisor, who is trained in mediation."
Due to the unusually large size of the preceding class of 2014, there was some discussion as to whether the admissions office would make an effort to admit fewer students the following year, in hopes for a smaller class. According to Bates, however, that did not turn out to be the case.
"The class of 2014 opened with 730 students on campus and 40 in London. The on-campus range we were targeting for the class of 2015 was 580-630 students on campus and 36 students in London. Although next year's class size target range has not been fully established for the class of 2016, it will likely be similar to this year's."