When the 440 members of the Class of 2020 arrived on campus on Aug. 31, representatives from the entire college community were lining Campus Drive to greet them. 

“Move-in Day is our second favorite day of the year, right behind Commencement,” says Brand Stille ’86, vice president for enrollment. “Building a first-year class at Wofford is a long, carefully planned process that can take several years.”

Admission counselors send emails, letters, postcards and even texts inviting prospective students to visit Wofford’s campus. They attend college fairs and visit high schools across the country. They give tours, answer questions and spend time on social media sharing Wofford information and learning more about the students considering Wofford.

“Wofford values academic achievement and wants to attract the brightest and most talented students possible, but there is more to the admission process than just grades and scores,” says Stille. “The essay matters; letters of recommendation matter; leadership and community engagement matter. The overall goal is to admit students who are enthusiastic about embracing all of the opportunities at Wofford inside and out of the classroom.”

In building the Class of 2020, Wofford received more than 2,900 applications; 43 percent of first-year students were in the top 10 percent of their graduating class, and 68 are first-generation college students. Legacies account for 104 students, and 93 students will be starting their careers as Division I student-athletes. The percentage of minority students increased to 20 percent with the Class of 2020, and 45 percent of students are from out of state. Also joining the college community in the fall were 19 transfer students.

These new Terriers include authors, athletes, adventurers, writers, musicians and volunteers. Also among the class are:

  • A student who rode a motorcycle through the German Alps.
  • A surf instructor.
  • A boat builder.
  • A PGA Junior Series Champion.
  • A student who has served as class president from 8th through 12th grade.
  • A student who has toured with a band in the United States and France.
  • A writer of four 50,000-word novels, who also performed with her choir at Carnegie Hall.
  • A Civil War re-enactor.
  • The former president of the South Carolina Quarter Horse Youth Association.
  • A certified nursing assistant.
  • A member of the junior board of the Ronald McDonald House.
  • A windsurfing instructor.


by Leigh Ann Miller ’13, Fall 2016