President Robert Kelly opened the 2025 Convocation Address “Advancing Hope” with a clear focus: confronting the political struggles facing higher education.
“It's objective and fair to conclude that right now [have] been some of the most politically turbulent months in higher education in generations,” Kelly said. “Principles that we thought were once settled, norms that we thought we could set our watches by, many of those things have changed.”
The impacts of executive orders and announcements from the Trump administration on higher education have been closely monitored by the University. These threats include a hold on federal loans and grants, dismantling DEI programs and compensation for college athletes, among others.
Kelly then asked the crowd of faculty, staff and students if abandoning the university’s core beliefs or refashioning the institution to avoid “drawing the ire of folks in Washington, DC” is the solution.
Although these actions are the strategies of many universities, Kelly said that the university’s response will look different, because “UP is different.”
The remainder of the address outlined enrollment updates, major financial accomplishments and changes to academic programs.
Enrollment and demographic statistics
Institutional enrollment and net tuition revenue are vital to the university’s success, Kelly says. He shared the latest unofficial enrollment and student demographic statistics.
Notably, preliminary first-year enrollment numbers are down by 50 students compared to Fall 2024.
Pending final Census Day figures, there are 706 first-year students, 106 transfer students and 125 graduate students who are new to The Bluff.
Newly arrived Pilots come from 28 states, three territories and 10 countries. The average GPA is 3.69.
44% of first-year students identify as first-generation. 68% report an ethnic identity other than white or report multiple races. 21% are commuter students. 39% of first-year students identify as Catholic and 70% identify as female.
The first-year retention rate is 86%, in line with last year’s data at 88%. Overall, the institutional retention rate is 90%.
President Robert Kelly stands at the podium speaking to the crowd at the 2025 convocation on Sept. 2 in the Buckley Center Auditorium.
Financial accomplishments
The university is celebrating record-breaking financial contributions, marking the most successful three-year fundraising run in its history.
Over the past three years, $106 million was raised for key priorities like scholarships, collecting information on academic achievement and student engagement. Of this amount, $70 million is for student scholarships to make a UP education more accessible, according to Kelly.
“If we truly believe that UP offers a life-changing experience, and we do believe this, then UP must be a place that stays with you for a lifetime,” Kelly said. “I'm pleased to share that we are enjoying historic success when it comes to philanthropy support.”
Academic changes and revisions
The university has introduced new programs and revisions across multiple schools aimed at expanding academic opportunities and keeping pace with competing schools.
There are new majors in media, criminology and business administration and minors in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, construction management, aerospace engineering and biomedical engineering.
Additionally, the School of Business has launched new HYBRID and Master of Business Administration programs as well as a pathway program that allows students to complete their degree in three years, plus a summer session.
A revised graduate program in the School of Education with a nursing concentration will likely go live next fall, according to Director of Public Affairs Dan Christopherson.
In his final takeaways, Kelly said that rather than “passively accepting” narratives about UP, the University is putting forward-thinking into practice and keeping students and its mission as its north star.
“How we're responding to this headwind [of political challenges] gives me immense hope,” Kelly said. “We have not retreated from our mission. In fact, we've run toward it, embraced it and let it serve as our value.”
Kalena O’Connell is the Living Section Editor for The Beacon. She can be reached at oconnell27@up.edu.
