![Image of the UC Cheer Team at Fifth Third Arena with a Welcome New Bearcats sign nearby](https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2023/08/n21191340/jcr:content/image.img.cq5dam.thumbnail.500.500.jpg/1692801396147.jpg)
A bigger, bolder UC celebrates its first day of class
Local media converge on new spacious Clifton Court Hall for early-morning peek
The University of Cincinnati marked the first day of class, Monday, Aug. 21, celebrating new and returning students, welcoming back faculty and staff, and setting a new record — a projected 50,500 students enrolled for the fall semester. That represents a 5.39% increase in students.
The milestone was captured by local media who showed up in the pre-dawn hours at the new Clifton Court Hall to speak with administrators, faculty and students about growth at UC which is also projected to have about 8,900 first-year students, a 9% increase.
The $93 million Clifton Court Hall project concluded in May with faculty and staff moving into the new 185,000-square-foot facility. The innovative, beautiful building provided the perfect backdrop for TV cameras interested in capturing UC’s first day.
Jack Miner, vice provost for enrollment management at UC, was on hand to answer questions along with Dean James Mack of the College of the Arts and Sciences, Athletic Director John Cunningham and UC students. Student Body President Taylor Morgan and Student Body Vice President Vu Pham shared thoughts of students returning and new students discovering what it means to be a Bearcat.
Student leaders Alex Woodall, Trenton Stern, Marv Jones and Julia Parrey also appeared on air to share their UC experience.
Signs welcoming the Bearcats into the Big 12 are all around campus. Photo by Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand.
“We are really in a small club; there are only about a dozen schools in the nation that have more than 50,000 students,” explained Miner during one media interview this week. “In the Big 12 conference, we are probably ranked number 2 or 3 in terms of enrollment so we are coming into the Big 12 big.
“What we like about that movement and growth is the impact that we are having on this city,” says Miner. “It is an opportunity to educate not only the kids from the city, but it is a chance to think about what is the economic impact for Cincinnati. What does 50,000 graduates or 50,000 degrees mean for the businesses that are attracted to this region that we couldn’t five or 10 years ago?”
A new study looking at the 2021-22 fiscal year finds that UC’s overall impact on the business community in southwest Ohio, northern Kentucky and eastern Indiana is $10.6 billion in added income to the business community, an amount that supports 125,057 jobs. For perspective, this means that one out of every 12 jobs in the region is supported by the activities of the university and its students.
Statewide, the study found that UC increases the economic base by $22.7 billion.
Media coverage
Featured top image shows a recent kickoff event in Fifth Third Arena welcoming new Bearcats to UC. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand
Related Stories
'Unforgettable weekend': GameDay, Homecoming help Bearcats make memories
November 9, 2021
The University of Cincinnati was in the national spotlight with ESPN’s College GameDay and Good Morning America featuring the UC Bearcat football team's rise in football ranking. UC defeated the University of Tulsa on the football field during Homecoming.
A bigger, bolder UC celebrates its first day of class
August 22, 2023
Cincinnati media visited the UC campus to capture the first day of class. Record enrollment, new structures such as Clifton Court Hall, and shared experiences from UC students were all worth celebrating for the start of a new academic year.
UC surprises future Bearcats on Decision Day
January 24, 2022
Decision Day marks the moment when thousands of incoming Bearcats learn they’ve been accepted to the University of Cincinnati. University officials surprised four area high school seniors at their schools and homes, making them among the first to be accepted into UC in 2022.
Niche: UC bests its rivals, offering the ‘best college location in Ohio’
September 8, 2022
The college ranking and review service Niche released its 2023 college rankings and gave UC the top spot in the ‘Best college locations in Ohio’ category.
Yahoo: Future University of Cincinnati Bearcats get surprised at school and at home
January 28, 2022
News media highlight UC's Decision Day records as students get surprised with admission and scholarships.
Spectrum News: UC student raises money for children in Ethiopia
December 19, 2022
First-year University of Cincinnati student Bitanya Derese has continued to raise money for children living in poverty in her native Ethiopia, Spectrum News reported.
Cincinnati media visit UC campus for the first day of class
August 24, 2022
It's the first day and University of Cincinnati students, administrators and staff speak with Cincinnati media about enrollment, campus excitement and life with fewer COVID restrictions.
Bearcat dreams come true on Decision Day
January 23, 2023
The newest Bearcats learn they’ve been accepted into the University of Cincinnati on Decision Day, and UC officials surprised area students at their high schools with admission, scholarships and more.
Cincinnati media: Surprise scholarships celebrate Decision Day at the University of Cincinnati
January 25, 2024
Five television stations from across Greater Cincinnati featured segments on UC's Decision Day 2024. Thousands of high school students from across the region learned they were admitted to the University of Cincinnati for Fall 2024. Applications to UC approached nearly 33,000, a 7% increase over last year.
UC takes center stage in Amazon Prime series
January 19, 2022
Filmed in July 2021, UC’s episode is a crash-course in being a Bearcat, starring a few of the university’s best and brightest students and alumni. Some are lifelong Cincinnatians; others are from across the globe. But they’re all excited to show viewers why they've called UC home: From its beautiful spaces and state-of-the-art facilities to co-op and campus life.