This weekend, Holy Cross College welcomed the class of 2028 to campus, its largest class in history. 272 new students arrived on campus, marking a 17.8% increase in enrollment from the class of 2027, according to Samantha Derksen, director of admissions at the College.
89 Gateway students and 10 Driscoll Scholars are also included in the new class. Students in the Gateway Program spend their first year at Holy Cross College while taking two classes at Notre Dame. They would then transfer to Notre Dame their sophomore year, provided they maintain a 3.50 GPA. This year’s program of 89 students is a considerable increase from the traditional 75 students who participated in the program in the past.
Previously, the Driscoll Scholars program enabled students to attend Holy Cross for two years before transferring to Notre Dame and earning a Notre Dame degree. This year, the program has been modified to have students study at Holy Cross for three years and then attend Notre Dame for two years, earning both a Holy Cross and Notre Dame diploma. This year there are 10 students in the program, a dramatic increase from the two students who participated in the program last year.
Students in the new class hail from 34 different states and eight countries. First-generation college students make up 23% of the 2028 class.
