Fiat looking forward

Dear Alfred University students, staff, and faculty:

As the calendar year comes to a close, we congratulate our current students on the completion of their Fall semester final exams/assignments.

In looking forward to the New Year, 2023, this note also is to ask for your help in recruiting the next generation of promising students to Alfred University through making them—as well as their key influencers (high school guidance counselors, teachers, coaches, administrators)—aware of an exciting scholarship award opportunity, our AU Scholars program.

As of today, Alfred University is on a favorable new student enrollment trajectory for next Fall. For our Main Campus undergraduate program, completed applications are up by 27 percent versus the same point in time last year; acceptances are up by 31 percent; and deposits by accepted students are up by 39 percent. Moreover, we currently have financial aid offers in the hands of over 500 admitted prospective students—a number significantly ahead of last year’s pace and reflecting our efforts to be as responsive as possible to applicants as they are deciding which school to attend.

We believe that the increased interest by prospective students reflects the enduring value of an Alfred University education and enhancements within our existing programs such as the virtual cadaver table secured by our Biology department; the Russo-Prunty Multimedia Lab; and the experiential problem-solving-oriented curriculum developed for all first-year engineering students. We also have introduced curricular offerings in computer science, electrical engineering, data and business analytics, and health planning management. Bachelors of science degrees have been added in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, mathematics, physics, and astronomy.

Another initiative that we have pursued in recent years and that has led to our favorable new student enrollment trajectory is the AU Scholars program, which is intended to identify prospective students who will blossom through the educational opportunity that Alfred University provides. The program includes a significant financial aid award to such promising students. Now that we have strong proof of the program’s value to students and their families, we are asking everyone in our network to spread the word about its availability.

Among the benefits that an Alfred University education offers are the following:

• Intersections. Students can forge a wide variety of curricular and co-curricular combinations at Alfred University. For example, many students stay for a fifth year to earn a second degree through the 4+1 MBA option offered by Alfred University. Alumna and trustee Dr. Cheryl Blanchard ’86, P’25, combined dance with engineering studies as a student while at Alfred University. She credits that combination to fostering her creativity. Among other things, Cheryl is currently a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the CEO of a publicly traded company, Anika Therapeutics, headquartered out of Boston.

• Mentoring. Alfred University students and alumni regularly cite the positive impact that mentors at Alfred University have had on the course of their lives. Mentors comprise faculty, staff, alumni, and friends. Such mentors help our students identify and realize their purpose.

• Professional success. Over 95 percent of Alfred University graduates are employed or accepted into graduate programs within six months of graduation. For example, the 2022 graduates from our Inamori School of Engineering reported an average starting salary of more than $72,000 per year. They join organizations such as Abbott, Army Research Labs, Consolidated Precision Products, Corning Incorporated, General Electric, Howmet Aerospace, IBM, Kyocera, Pfizer, PWC, Raytheon, Regeneron, Sigma Corporation, St. Gobain, Tesla, Unifrax, and Washington Mills. Other students advance to graduate programs at the University of Arizona, University of Illinois, University of Rochester, University of Texas, University of Virginia, Alfred University, Carnegie Mellon University, Columbia University, MIT, Penn State University, and Stanford University.

To learn more about the AU Scholars program and/or to recommend promising prospective students who are likely to blossom and realize their purpose at Alfred University, as well as key influencers of such students, please contact Jonathan Kent, our vice president for Enrollment Management (kentj@alfred.edu).

Fiat looking forward!

Mark