UA News

The UA's record-setting freshman class brings it significantly closer to reflecting the diversity of the state of Arizona.

The University of Arizona's record-setting freshman class brings the University significantly closer to reflecting the diversity of the state.

A total of 34 percent of the freshmen class are students of color, which includes an 18 percent increase in Hispanic freshmen and a 25 percent increase in Native American freshmen.

New UA students, along with those responsible for recruiting them, agree that several factors contributed toward the dramatic increases in the diversity of the new class.

Among the key factors are the convergence of quality and affordability, especially important in this challenging economic climate.

"I became deeply interested in pharmacy and began to search for the best school where I could study it," said Galo Mejia, a new UA student – planning to major in pre-pharmacy – from Dobson High School in Mesa, Ariz. "I had a great school to study at for the price of in-state tuition."

"We continue to be an incredible value," said Paul Kohn, UA associate vice president of enrollment management and dean of admissions. "It's great going to a top school for a little over $6,000 a year." 

Robyn Stanley, UA director of admissions processing, said each year students are looking for what they can identify as a "best buy," with that issue being magnified this year with the economic downturn. "Every year residents will consider, ‘Do we have something in my backyard that might everything I want?' Every year Arizona residents say ‘yes.'"

Prospective students now have additional opportunities to get acquainted with the UA well before visiting the Tucson campus. The UA now has an admissions counselor working from the Navajo reservation full-time.

According to Kohn, responsibility for reaching out to a diverse group of prospective students is now shared among all recruiters. "All recruiters share the duty of recruiting a diverse class," Kohn said.

In addition, UA personnel spend extensive amounts of time with first-generation college students, and their families, helping them to navigate through issues related to admissions and financial aid.

Both Kohn and Stanley describe a culture where the entire campus community – including alumni, parents of current students and professional recruiters – work together to ensure that potential UA students know about the opportunities available for them for a high-quality college education.

"The entire campus truly is reflecting and demonstrating in our practices that we are about diversity," Stanley said. "We are a better campus, a better learning organization, by exhibiting this and really embracing it."