Elon’s class of 2028 will be among the most diverse classes in university history, Greg Zaiser, vice president for enrollment, wrote in a statement to Elon News Network.
May 1, usually known as college acceptance day, is the date many colleges require students to commit to a school. This year the Free Application for Federal Student Aid has had delays due to changes in the system and glitches that have occurred. Due to delays in FAFSA, Elon has granted about 200 deposit extensions to incoming students, Zaiser wrote.
As of May 4, the class of 2028 has 1,662 students and Zaiser wrote he expects closer to 1,700 students to commit. One member of the incoming class, Stephanie Diaz, said she was excited to come to Elon after visiting in the fall.
“There was a football game and it was just so nice to see so much school spirit,” Diaz said. “Coming from a predominantly white school and being a person of color. I've always kind of felt left out and a big thing that I wanted in college was definitely a sense of community.”
Diaz is from the northern suburbs of Chicago and plans to major in psychology with a minor in neuroscience. The large number of on-campus organizations to get involved with and nature surrounding Elon also appealed to Diaz.
“I'm such an active person and I love being involved in everything,” Diaz said. “I am super excited to be able to explore everything and just like to get into new things.”
Another incoming student, Casey Leone, is excited to join the class of 2028 to form new connections with professors and students. She is from outside of Charlottesville, Virginia and is planning to study education. She is interested in the programs Elon offers to work closely with professors.
“I just realized how much I felt like I belonged there,” Leone said. “It was so easy to just walk around and make new friends.”