A new cohort of Catamounts is descending upon the University of Vermont campus from all over the country — and the world — this week, as the Class of 2029 joins the rich tapestry of campus community at Vermont’s flagship land-grant university.

"What makes this class so special is the broad array of stories within it: Not only origins and experiences, but caliber and character. It's a fantastic group of students," said Vice President for Enrollment Management Jay Jacobs. 

Jacobs has a lot to be excited about with this incoming class, starting with increases in first-generation students and men. Students are coming from 48 states and the number of Vermont students continues to be strong–a key component in UVM's service to the people of the Green Mountain State as a land-grant institution.

“Almost 80 percent of college-bound students in Vermont applied to UVM this year,” Jacobs noted, with pride. The university will publish official enrollment statistics later this fall, after the annual student census, but UVM expects the Class of ’29 to include 563 Vermonters. Just under 40 percent of those — 221 students — are part of the UVM Promise program, which covers four years of tuition for admitted students whose household adjusted gross income is $100,000 or less. That’s a 76 percent increase in new students taking advantage of the UVM Promise program over last year, when the income cutoff was $75,000. 

More than 50 percent of Vermont’s top academic achievers — 34 students — will also attend UVM for free, thanks to the Green and Gold Scholarship award, which covers in-state tuition for all four years. That’s up from 29 students last year.

Many students in the Class of ’29 are making a big leap for their families: 14 percent are first-generation college students, compared to 11 percent of last year’s incoming class.

Jacobs is also happy to see an increase in male students. Much has been written about the widening gender gap in education; young men are more likely than ever to forgo college altogether. In 2021, 51 percent of women graduating from high school enrolled in a four-year college, compared to 36 percent of men, according to Richard Reeves, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and the author of Of Boys and Men. 

But the scales of that imbalance are continuing to tip at UVM this year. Forty percent of the incoming undergraduate class is male, compared to last year’s 38 percent. 

There’s also a big enrollment jump — roughly 15 percent — in both the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences and the Grossman School of Business this fall. 

It's an exciting time for the business school, which is launching its experiential Co-op program this semester. Students in the immersive Co-op — which was created with a $15-million gift from the Grossman Family Foundation last year — will dive into full-time employment at leading companies to gain hands-on experience in their fields while continuing their classroom learning. 

STAND-OUT STUDENTS

UVM is thrilled to welcome the young entrepreneur Matty McPherson to the Class of ’29. Last spring McPherson won the Vermont Pitch Challenge, a Shark Tank-like competition for teens around the world. The prize: Full tuition to UVM. The New Jersey student wowed judges with his pitch for Boxer Breeze, an eco-friendly underwear brand focused on waste reduction and sustainability. McPherson is planning to major in business administration at UVM.

The Class of ’29 also includes:

  • An American Idol contestant who made it through four rounds of auditions for the iconic singing contest. The New Hampshire student will study music at UVM.
  • A fantasy fiction writer who has written and published two books, both shortlisted for the Ozma Book Awards. The Vermonter will study English.
  • An accomplished rock climber who was named the Youth World Championship semifinalist and National Champion in 2022, and has been invited five times to join the U.S. rock climbing team. The Vermonter is majoring in math.
  • A Model UN Best Delegate from Kyrgyzstan who has published a research paper on diplomatic relations, led history events in multiple countries, and plans to major in Community and International Development.
  • A globetrotting concert pianist who grew up on three continents and has performed at the Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and in Amsterdam, Vienna, Salzburg, and Barcelona.
  • A member of the U.S. Ski Team from Wyoming who is a three-time Nordic Skiing Nation Champion and participated in last year’s Scandinavian Cup. 

THE GRADUATE COLLEGE

UVM’s graduate programs saw a 32 percent increase in applications this year. A whopping 4,197 prospective students applied to begin their studies at UVM this summer and fall, compared to 3,176 in 2024. Applications came in from around the U.S., as well as from 34 different countries.

The Larner College of Medicine welcomed 124 new medical students earlier this month. Leila Amiri, Ph.D., associate dean for admissions, described the class as one of the most selective in the college’s history, noting that the school received a record-breaking 10,377 applications for the Class of ’29. 

“Representing 22 states, fluent in 16 languages beyond English, and arriving from 72 universities and 42 different majors, this class embodies excellence across every dimension,” she said. 

The Graduate College also includes students participating in the innovative and cost-effective Accelerated Master’s Program — which allows Catamounts to work toward an advanced degree as undergrads. One of them is Cat Mawn, a cross-country runner who graduated from UVM last year with a B.S. in Environmental Studies from UVM’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources . This year she’s finishing up her research and thesis focused on Vermont’s incarcerated population, and how climate change impacts correctional facilities and their connection to the broader world. 

Other interesting new graduate students include:

  • A longtime UVM track & field coach who is jumping into the Master’s in Accountancy program.
  • A personal trainer from Ohio switching career paths to become an M.D.
  • A community organizer, actor and director of a Burlington hot yoga collective, starting the Sustainable Innovation MBA program.
  • A Ph.D. student in Complex Systems and Data Science, who wants to democratize AI.

CATAMOUNT RUN

There’s big news on the housing front this fall: A fresh crop of graduate students, medical students, faculty, and staff are moving into the Catamount Run apartments in the heart of South Burlington’s City Center. 

The residential complex, which will eventually offer a total of 620 beds, has been opening in stages: Three buildings opened last year, two more opened this summer — including one designated for undergrads, with fully furnished bedrooms. The last building will be ready for move-in next spring. 

“The apartments have been really well-received,” said UVM’s Director of Real Estate Operations Julianne Heisler, noting that the up-and-coming City Center is close to Trader Joe’s, Bliss Bee, Healthy Living, Folino’s Pizza, Higher Ground, the South Burlington Library, and many other amenities. 

Commuting between Catamount Run and the UVM Campus just got easier, too. Green Mountain Transit is rolling out a new service, beginning on August 25, that will run between downtown Burlington, the UVM campus and South Burlington City Center every 15 minutes during peak hours.  

Some enrollment numbers reported in this story may change after UVM completes its annual census later this fall.