This fall, UWC-USA is welcoming an incoming class of 117 first-year students representing 54 countries. Arriving from every region of the world—including 41 students from across the United States—as in years past this cohort will bring a diversity of languages, experiences, and perspectives, to Montezuma.
The Class of 2028 reflects the global reach of the United World College movement: 56 students come from the Americas, 26 from Europe, 23 from Asia Pacific, and six each from Africa and Southwest Asia and North Africa. Half of the class comes from countries where a language other than English or Spanish is primary, underscoring the rich linguistic and cultural exchange that shape daily life at UWC-USA.
Access remains central to this community and scholarship support from alumni and friends of the school continues to help us deliver on the school’s pledge to diversity. Many first-year students will attend UWC-USA on full or significant scholarships, made possible through UWC-USA endowment funds, U.S. Shelby Davis Scholars support, Dare to Dream, and partnerships across the UWC movement. This financial aid ensures that talented students can join the UWC experience based on their promise and potential to contribute rather than their family’s ability to pay.
The class arrives as Ingrid Madrigal (pictured) begins her role as UWC-USA’s Director of Admissions. Ingrid brings experience across the UWC movement, including admissions work at UWC Costa Rica and leadership in advancement, communications, alumni engagement, fundraising, and admissions at UWC East Africa in Tanzania; she is passionate about expanding access to transformative educational opportunities.
Since arriving on August 16, this new cohort of first-year students is already speaking powerfully about the values they hope to bring to campus: honest conversation, service, global connection, listening across differences, and the active creation of an inclusive community.