Meet Emory's Class of 2028
Hailing from across the country and around the globe, Emory’s Class of 2028 brings unique perspectives, talents and a love for community.
Saying “yes” to the right opportunity can change your life — which was certainly the case for the 1,884 students who are making Emory their new home this fall. Selected from a pool of 34,914 applicants, the Class of 2028 began move-in as early as Monday, Aug. 19, to prepare for classes starting Wednesday, Aug. 28.
“The Emory Class of 2028 is an extraordinary group of talented and ambitious students,” says Emory President Gregory L. Fenves. “Their accomplishments have led them to this point and now they are ready to fulfill their potential. I look forward to seeing these incredible students flourish at Emory.”
These students “are not only academically gifted, but they deeply care,” says John Latting, associate vice provost for enrollment and dean of admission. “These are students who want to become an expert in something to make the world a better place.”
Latting explains how well-rounded the new class is, particularly in academic motivation, community impact — in their hometowns and what they’ll bring to Emory — and creative energy.
“I’ve seen the raw ingredients that have gone into this class and I think it’s going to be really special,” Latting says.
Kelley Lips, assistant vice provost and dean of Oxford College enrollment, notes, “At Oxford, we are proud to welcome a new class chosen from the largest applicant pool in our history, representing a diverse array of academic excellence and life experiences. These students have demonstrated a deep commitment to learning and a passion for making a meaningful impact. We are excited to see how their unique perspectives will enhance our academic community and the broader Emory University experience.”
Incoming student Eric Zhang from Dublin, Ohio, exemplifies that distinctive blend of interests. Planning to study music and applied mathematics and statistics, Zhang has been performing since he was just five years old and has conducted a student ensemble, written original music and participated in local orchestras.
He was drawn to mathematics a little later in life, discovering a fondness for statistics during his senior year of high school. “When I was taking AP statistics, my teacher showed us how stats could be used as a superpower,” he says. “I’m double majoring in statistics to not only provide a practical balance to my musical pursuits, but also because it’s a field that’s so applicable and useful to many things in life.”
At Emory, Zhang looks forward to connecting with the Asian Student Organization, other musicians and possibly the theater community. In fact, it’s his dream to combine music, performing arts, advocacy and volunteering to make the world a better place.
“I hope to be able to use my skills as a performer and a musician to make positive changes,” he says. “I want to draw upon the empathy and kindness that I’ve learned through my experiences in high school and expand upon them with new ones at Emory.”
A Place to Flourish
Emory knows that students need to find the path that best suits them. First-year student can apply to two starting points. Students may enter Emory College of Arts and Sciences on the Atlanta campus or study for their first two years at Oxford College, on Emory’s original campus in Oxford, Georgia.
After their sophomore year, all students complete their undergraduate degrees on the Atlanta campus through Emory College, Goizueta Business School or the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing.
“Emory is committed to fostering a distinctive environment where every student can flourish academically, personally and professionally. The Class of 2028 will benefit from the best of a liberal arts education combined with the resources and opportunities of a major research university,” says Ravi V. Bellamkonda, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.
“This unique blend empowers students to tackle complex challenges, engage in innovative research and pursue creative endeavors, all while being mentored and supported by leading scholars. We are excited to see the incredible discoveries the Class of 2028 will make that will impact our community and beyond.”
The incoming class is full of scholars from as nearby as Emory’s backyard to as far as the other side of the globe.
A native of Ghana, Africa, Richmond Debrah hadn’t visited the United States until a few weeks ago. One of six children in his family, Debrah plans to study anthropology and human health at Emory, both fields inspired by his father. “He used to take us to museums, cultural centers and historical sites when we were little, and I was always fascinated by archaeology and ancient history,” he says.
His father died from diabetes while Debrah was still in high school, sparking his interest in conducting medical research and fighting diseases. “I’m not sure what my path will be, but likely somewhere at the intersection of these two fields,” he adds.
“I was excited by the boundless opportunities to conduct research, especially at the undergraduate level,” Debrah says of his interest in Emory. “I was also intrigued by Emory’s multidisciplinary approach to education, allowing me to explore different interests and combine them.”
He’s eager to be part of a diverse Emory community and broaden his understanding of the world: “I know I have a limited worldview and I’m looking forward to learning from a wide variety of different viewpoints among the faculty and my peers.”
Welcome Home to Emory
On the Atlanta campus, first-year students participating in preorientation and International Student Welcome programs arrived beginning Aug. 19. Many students in the incoming classes for Emory College and Oxford College registered for preorientation programs that help them connect with others who share similar interests, from outdoor adventures and leadership lessons to community engagement and interfaith experiences.
The rest of the cohort arrived Saturday, Aug. 24, and the four-day orientation process for Emory College began. Orientation includes moving into residence halls and personalizing their rooms, meeting faculty mentors, Songfest practice, the Gate Crossing + Coke Toast and more.
“I am thrilled to welcome the Class of 2028 to Emory. Their remarkable accomplishments demonstrate a diverse depth of academic achievements, curiosity and creativity. They are also actively involved in their communities, reflecting a meaningful commitment to both the heart and mind,” says Barbara Krauthamer, dean of Emory College.
“With their diverse backgrounds and experiences from around the world, they are sure to bring valuable perspectives, ideas and questions that will enrich our campus and inspire positive change within our community,” she says. “I can’t wait to see what they accomplish.”
The historic Oxford College campus welcomed 436 new students this year. Students participating in preorientation moved in Monday, Aug. 19, while other first-year students moved in Friday, Aug. 23.
“I had the honor of personally welcoming our incredibly talented first-year students to campus last week, and they already impressed me with their enthusiasm, questions and clear desire to get started on this new chapter,” says Oxford College Dean Badia Ahad.
“At Oxford, we pride ourselves on our innovative curriculum and our robust global learning, leadership, research and service opportunities,” Ahad notes. “I can’t wait to see how this new class will enrich our already vibrant and collaborative community.”
One student joining the Oxford community is Brooke Holland from Miami. Holland brings with her a passion for advocating for her peers — so it’s no surprise that she wants to study political science and pursue her dream of becoming a lawyer. But she’s also a dancer and actor and hopes to continue pursuing her artistic passions while at Emory.
Professionally, Holland wants to tangibly help people in need, especially people like herself who face racial disparities every day. She sees a future where she makes a serious foray into politics and runs for U.S. Congress or even president. If she sticks to the law, she may pursue a seat on the Supreme Court. “I want to be in a position where I can make the biggest impact,” Holland says.
Those lofty dreams will start to take shape at Oxford this fall. Holland visited the campus last year and immediately fell in love. “When I stepped onto campus,” she says, “I remember tearing up” because she had found her new home. “I was just so impressed by the attention to detail at Oxford, as well as everyone’s honesty and transparency, all qualities that I value highly in my personal life.”
By the Numbers
The Class of 2028 is full of vibrant individuals who each bring their own strengths and life experiences to Emory.
In addition to coming from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, students represent 49 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands, along with 75 other countries. For Oxford College students, there are 38 languages (besides English) spoken primarily at home; for Emory College students, 61 languages are spoken at home.
First-generation college students — meaning neither parent completed a four-year degree — make up 19% of the first-year class at Emory College and 12% at Oxford College.
Emory also participates in the QuestBridge National College Match program, which matches outstanding high school seniors from low-income households with some of the nation’s best colleges.
This year, the Atlanta campus welcomes 76 QuestBridge Scholars and the Oxford campus welcomes eight. Between the national match and QuestBridge students who chose Emory during the regular admission process, the Class of 2028 includes 227 students from the program.
Latting explains that the university will continue to benefit from the multiplicity of perspectives in the incoming class, where enrolled students represent the broader communities of America and the world. That is, in part, thanks to the university’s efforts to decrease barriers to a preeminent education, including the expanded Emory Advantage program, which meets 100% of demonstrated need for undergraduate students and has eliminated need-based loans by replacing them with institutional grants and scholarships.
The Class of 2028 is the first to be admitted since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June 2023 that race can no longer be used as an explicit factor in admission to colleges and universities. The racial demographics for Emory University’s incoming first-year class, including both Emory College and Oxford College, showed small declines in some groups and small increases in others from 2023 to 2024.
|
Ethnicity |
2023 |
2024 |
|---|---|---|
|
Black |
12.6% |
11.1% |
|
White |
39.9% |
37% |
|
Asian |
28.5% |
29.9% |
|
Hispanic |
12.8% |
11.1% |
|
Native American |
1.0% |
1.1% |
|
Unknown |
4.1% |
6.8% |
|
International |
17.4% |
16.3% |
*With the exception of international students, a student may be counted in more than one group.
Nashra Khan, a first-generation college student who’s lived her entire life in Snellville, Georgia, matched with Emory through the QuestBridge National College Match program. “My older sister wound up at Georgia Tech, so I always thought I’d go there,” Khan says, “but after an overnight, weekend retreat at Emory, I completely fell in love with the campus and realized it was a perfect fit for me. Emory was my first choice and I’m so happy I got my ideal match.”
Khan plans to take full advantage of her opportunity at Emory as she pursues a pre-med track with a major in interdisciplinary studies. Her ultimate goal is to be a pediatric oncologist. “As a Muslim Indian-American from a low-income background, I’m very aware of the socioeconomic and racial disparities that exist in the health care system,” she says.
During high school, she founded her school’s science club, took on internships (including one focused on oncology at the University of Houston) and started an international night that celebrated different countries and cultures.
She is excited about her first year at Emory, namely to build strong friendships but also to grow as a person. “I’m looking forward to becoming more independent and having more autonomy and freedom in my life, and I think Emory will allow me to pursue the things I’m most interested in,” Khan says. “I want to revel in learning just for the sake of learning and to build a strong community that will make me more open-minded about the world.”
About this story: Story written by Michelle Ricker. Student interviews by Roger Slavens and Sylvie Wages. Infographic by Elizabeth Hautau. Photos and video by Emory Photo/Video. Design by Ruby Katz.
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