During his latest Community Conversation, President Joseph J. Helble ’82 acknowledged that there is some uncertainty facing higher education as the country awaits a new federal administration, but he emphasized that Lehigh remains in a strong position.
Helble shared record-breaking admissions figures, talked about the university’s growing research funding and philanthropy efforts, shared statistics about the diversified student body and noted recent achievements in athletics. Just last week, Lehigh beat Lafayette in the annual Rivalry football game, earning Lehigh its first Patriot League Championship in seven years.
“I have to say, and I cannot emphasize enough, this is an extraordinarily positive moment for this university,” he said, to an audience gathered in Packard Laboratory 101 and tuning in via Zoom. “I have started referring to it as our moment, as Lehigh’s moment.”
Community Conversations are designed for students, faculty and staff to learn important updates about the Lehigh community and ask questions. Helble aims to hold the event each semester. Below are some highlights from the latest Community Conversation.
Admissions
Helble opened his presentation with an update on admissions. Last year, the university received a record-breaking 20,396 undergraduate applications. This year, admissions continue to trend in a positive direction. For the Class of 2029, campus visits are up roughly 10% over last year so far. The early decision applicant pool also is up nearly 4% over last year. Numbers for the regular applicant pool will be available in January, and Helble said the trends and signs so far are “very, very positive.”
First-Year Student Demographics
In terms of socioeconomic diversity, 23% of Lehigh’s first-year students are recipients of the federal Pell Grant, which helps undergraduates from low-income families pay for college. That’s likely the highest number of Pell recipients in the university’s history, Helble said. A decade ago, the number of recipients was approximately 13%.
The Class of 2028 is also the first to benefit from The Lehigh Commitment, which provides full tuition to undergraduates from families with a total income of less than $75,000. Roughly 15% of the first-year class entered under The Lehigh Commitment, Helble said.
Some additional statistics for the Class of 2028:
- 19% are first-generation college students.
- 6% are international students.
- 30% domestic students of color.
Research
Lehigh’s research funding grew for the fourth-consecutive year after being flat for a decade, Helble said. There was $58.7 million in sponsored program research expenditures last year, “our highest ever,” he said.
Lehigh awarded 99 doctorate degrees this past year. Over the past eight years, the university has ranged between 90 to 113 doctorate degrees per year. That information is particularly relevant because the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching uses the number of doctorate degrees awarded as one of the metrics for determining how research universities are classified.
Lehigh is classified as an “R2” research university, which means it is a doctoral university with high research activity. Universities with an R1 designation have the highest level of research activity, according to the Carnegie Foundation.
“I’ve been asked since my arrival as president whether we aspire to become an R1 university. My answer has been that we aspire to invest in our research, of the scholarly work of our faculty, staff and community, and to grow our research efforts,” Helble said.
Lehigh is “on the cusp” of being classified as R1, so there is the chance it may happen soon, Helble said. The benefit of the designation is that it could attract more faculty who are experts in their fields, creating further research opportunities.
“If we continue to grow our research as we have been growing, I am confident we will get there in the near future,” he said.
Philanthropy
More than $80 million in commitments were raised this past year, with gifts supporting a range of things from financial aid, faculty hiring and the renovations of facilities, such as the Clayton University Center, Helble said.
GO Beyond: The Campaign for Lehigh is well on the way to approaching its initial $1 billion goal, with $940 million raised so far. The Board of Trustees voted last year to expand the goal to $1.25 billion.
In Closing
Helble encouraged the audience to continue to stay informed about developments on campus and to be involved in the process of planning for the future, particularly when it comes to Lehigh’s strategic plan, Inspiring the Future Makers. Helble said he continues to be inspired by Lehigh’s students and thanked the faculty and staff for all they do.
“I truly believe that higher education has never been more important, and when I look at the students, graduate and undergraduate alike … that leaves me feeling hopeful and optimistic about our future,” Helble said. “They are hard working, they are thoughtful, they are engaged, they are inspiring.”