Some positive trends
Dear Faculty and Staff,
Now that the semester is underway, I wanted to share a few encouraging signs of momentum across the University.
This fall, we welcomed 567 first-year students, a 36% increase over last year, while also strengthening the academic profile of the class (average high school GPA of 3.80, up from 3.49 last year and 3.57 in 2024). Nearly 30% of our incoming students joined the Honors Program, 29% are Pell-eligible, 22% are first-generation college students, and 37% are students of color. International enrollment among undergraduates more than doubled (39 this year compared with 18 last year), and we welcomed 236 students from Massachusetts. These numbers reflect a class that is both academically strong and broadly representative of the aspirations and opportunities that define Clark.
We are also seeing promising early results in undergraduate recruitment for Fall 2027. First-year applications are already up 17% compared with this point last year, while inquiries are up 53%. Domestic applications are similarly up 17%, and domestic inquiries have increased by 79%. We have already welcomed nearly 2,400 prospective students to campus. While there is much work ahead, these early indicators suggest that interest in Clark remains strong and continues to grow.
We are seeing encouraging signs in other areas as well. Through Plan & Purpose: Our Campaign for What Matters Most, alumni, parents, friends, foundations, and community partners continue to demonstrate confidence in Clark’s future. To date, we have raised $108 million and philanthropic support remains strong across priorities ranging from student access and success to academic innovation and faculty excellence. This year, contributions to the Clark Fund are on pace to exceed $4 million for the first time in our history and are on track to double what annual giving has typically been over the past decade.
Our faculty continue to attract significant external support for research, scholarship, and creative work. During the past year, Clark researchers secured $5.5 million in new grant awards and produced nearly 800 scholarly publications, advancing knowledge and solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges. This work not only advances discovery but also provides our students with extraordinary opportunities to engage in research and inquiry alongside faculty mentors.
Today also brought the release of the 2027 U.S. News & World Report rankings. Clark’s overall ranking remained essentially unchanged (#133 this year compared with #132 last year), and our standing among Best Value Schools improved from #37 to #34. I find that latter measure especially meaningful. Families increasingly want assurance that a college education will provide both intellectual growth and a strong return on investment. Our continued recognition as a leading value institution reflects our commitment to providing an education that is rigorous, relevant, and accessible. Noteworthy among this year’s rankings is a new category, namely “Top Private Colleges among National Universities.” On this new ranking, which excludes public universities, Clark is #69.
Of course, rankings never tell the full story. What matters most is the work happening every day across our campus: the teaching, mentoring, research, scholarship, creative activity, and community-building that define the Clark experience. The encouraging trends we are seeing in enrollment, student demand, philanthropy, grant activity, and external recognition are ultimately reflections of your efforts.
Taken individually, each of these indicators is encouraging. Taken together, they suggest something even more important: that the choices we are making, the investments we are making, and the work we are doing together are strengthening Clark’s position and expanding our impact. Clark is attracting more interest from students, more support from donors, and more confidence from external partners. That momentum belongs to all of us.
Thank you for everything you do on behalf of our students and our university. I am deeply grateful for your commitment and increasingly optimistic about what we will accomplish together in the years ahead.
Sincerely,
David Fithian ’87
President
