Class of 2020 shows academic strength, international breadth
Calvin’s 2016 incoming cohort of 984 students (909 freshmen, 75 transfer) is strong in terms of academic credentials and in international student enrollment. The class boasts a 3.71 average GPA and includes 113 international students, both among the all-time high levels for the college. Among the total student population, one in four students is either an international student or an AHANA (Asian, Hispanic, African, Native American) student.
“It’s exciting to be part of a mission that is attractive to high-achieving students around the corner and across the globe,” said Russ Bloem, vice president for enrollment management. “To have a student population rich in diversity in all its forms is a real benefit to our community and makes for a vibrant learning environment.”
Calvin’s total population of 3,918 students hails from 48 states, 62 countries and six Canadian provinces—and nearly 30 percent of Calvin students come from outside the Midwest (Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota).
Countries of residence represented at Calvin College include: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan Rep of China, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
“We’re committed to expanding our national and international presence,” said Bloem. “And we also are dedicated to continuing to be viewed as a top option for high school graduates in the Midwest.”
Calvin College recently received a #1 ranking in the Midwest Regional Colleges category in the 2017 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges Guidebook. The college also ranked #1 in its category for Best Undergraduate Teaching and Best Colleges for Veterans.