Following a groundbreaking admissions cycle leading up to the 2023-2024 academic year, Marymount University’s campus in Arlington is alive once again with students moved in, classes in session and activities underway.
The institution set record numbers for inquiries received (12,752), campus visits from prospective students (1,146) and submitted applications (3,610) ahead of the Fall 2023 semester. The unprecedented interest in Marymount is expected to result in the highest number of first-year students in seven years, with a 20 percent increase over last year’s total.
New students arrived on Marymount’s campus during Move-In Day last Thursday, with an estimated 60 volunteers consisting of Marymount faculty, staff and current students on location to assist these first-year Saints. Returning students moved into their residential spaces over the weekend, in advance of the first day of classes on Monday.
Welcome Week events, which last from August 24 to August 31, include programming designed to help new students actively engage in the Marymount community. Notable events included Thursday’s New Student Convocation in the Rose Benté Lee Center, a longstanding tradition held to celebrate the new academic year and mark the transition of Saints formally becoming part of the University family.
“This day represents the beginning of a new chapter in your lives – one that will be filled with change, challenges and growth. Where you spend your college years has a great impact on the person you become,” said Dr. Irma Becerra, President of Marymount University, during her speech at Convocation. “You made the smart choice by selecting Marymount as your institution of higher education, and you’re joining Marymount at just the right time – as we became nationally ranked for the first time last year while also placing in the top 25 nationwide for diversity and international students. A multi-million dollar gift has also launched the renovation of one of the oldest buildings on campus, creating a new campus hub – and, we were the first higher education institution in the U.S. to open an on-campus convenience store powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology.”
Another event during Marymount’s Week of Welcome was Friday’s ‘Color Clash’ event, with first-year students and faculty from each of the University’s three Colleges competing against each other for bragging rights.
Marymount’s Class of 2027 features incoming students from 25 different states – from California to Florida, and Alabama to Vermont – as well as 11 different countries, including Bolivia, Ethiopia, Mongolia and South Africa. The average GPA for first-year students is 3.37, one of the highest on record for the University.
“This is an exceptional class, one the entire Marymount University community will soon come to appreciate,” explained Evan Lipp, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at Marymount University. “Why were you admitted? You are bright. You are heroes. You have diverse backgrounds and you demonstrated diverse interests. And you have overcome much adversity, and should be proud of what you have accomplished. Marymount is looking forward to your future contributions and watching you become confident citizens and lifelong learners while assuming meaningful roles within society.”
Growth is visible in Marymount’s graduate programs as well, with a total of 1,420 submitted applications representing the highest number of applications received over the past three years. This resulted in a five percent increase in admitted graduate students from last year, and an 11 percent increase compared to 2021. Individual programs with notable growth in admissions include the M.A. in Interior Architecture and Design (55 percent), the D.Sc. in Cybersecurity (41 percent), the M.S. in Cybersecurity (39 percent) and the Doctor of Physical Therapy program (27 percent).
Within Marymount’s incoming class of new students are countless stories of distinguished achievement and resilience. Here are a few highlights:
Eshan Degamwar, Computer Science
An avid app developer whose mother is a yoga instructor, Degamwar ingeniously crafted an application for her to effectively engage with clients while also scheduling and organizing yoga sessions. He also excels as an athlete, winning the prestigious Talent and Championship Series tournaments hosted by the All India Tennis Association. He is set to represent Marymount on the court with the Men’s Tennis squad.
Marquis Jackson, Physical Therapy
Despite being diagnosed with a heart condition known as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and having several surgeries, Jackson continues to tackle adversity while chasing his dreams. He received a Spirit of Service Award from Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C., for emergency preparedness training and his involvement in addressing actual emergencies.
Deyana Madani, Health Sciences
An exceptional talent on the basketball court, Madani was the highest scorer in the Federation of International Basketball Association’s U17 Basketball Rankings. Her remarkable skills led her to qualifying for the first team to win the Saudi Olympic Tournament in Saudi Arabia.
Aryeh Newman, D.Sc. in Cybersecurity
A senior strategist at Google, Newman brings a wealth of expertise and experience into Marymount’s latest cohort of Cybersecurity doctoral students. Using the program’s flexibility, he will continue working with Google while improving his capabilities and research skills, focusing primarily on an interdisciplinary approach to creating dynamic security systems that respond to data science threats. With support from Marymount faculty, he aims to integrate machine learning and predictive analytics in cybersecurity to detect and respond to real-world threats.
