As we reach the end of another record-setting year at the University of Cincinnati, I’d like to extend my deepest appreciation for the role you play in our Bearcats community.
The year 2022 has been full of reasons to celebrate. We also faced difficult challenges together. It is through this togetherness that we emerge stronger as students, faculty, staff and alumni ready to face 2023 with excitement and resolve.
I’m thrilled that our institution is fulfilling the educational needs of more students than ever. This fall, we enrolled nearly 48,000 students, an all-time high. UC’s star is rising, and applications for next year are up more than 25%. This growth in enrollment is necessary to meet our mission to educate a larger number of our citizens.
We are also setting records for diversity at UC, with students of color representing 25.5% of our student body. In August, we welcomed 4,251 international students from 121 countries — the most in our history.
We also continue to offer programs that expand opportunities for our students. For example, the second cohort of NEXT Innovation Scholars are now here. And the first group of Marian Spencer Scholars from Cincinnati Public Schools are pursuing their educational dreams at UC.
In September, we opened our stunning new Digital Futures building in the Cincinnati Innovation District by inviting the larger community to see the innovative spaces that are home to 20 interdisciplinary research teams who are focused on solving problems that matter to our society. UC secured a No. 26 ranking among public universities from the Center for Measuring University Performance, driven by our impressive growth in external research funding, which is now a record $551 million.
Our successes are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our faculty and staff who work tirelessly to meet the needs of our students. I believe to my core that the NEXT generation of society’s leaders are studying on our campuses today.
In other words, “Next Lives Here.”
As we set our sights on 2023, I wish you all happy holidays.