New academic year full of possibility

Group of students in W purple shirts surrounding the Chacellor

On Sept. 28, faculty and staff at the University of Washington Bothell enthusiastically greeted new and returning students for the start of the 2022-23 academic year.

“There is nothing quite like the first day of classes,” said Dr. Kristin G. Esterberg, UW Bothell chancellor, as she welcomed students along the Promenade. “The air of excitement and possibility is energizing for all of us.”

The incoming class includes 980 first-year students and 489 transfer students. With returning students, UW Bothell has a student body of 5,758 for the 2022 autumn quarter, including 5,213 undergraduates and 545 graduate students.

“After the last few years of remote and hybrid learning, the pandemic, and social and political unrest,” said Esterberg, “our students can look forward to again spending time with their fellow students in person — and to participating more fully in the activities that come with being in community.

“We have a truly diverse population of faculty, staff and students,” she added, “and the richness each person brings will make this an extraordinary year.”

Some other figures from the University’s census at the start of the 2022-23 academic year:

  • 42% of incoming first-year students and 40% of new incoming transfer students will be the first in their immediate families to graduate from a four-year institution.
  • 29% of both incoming first-year students and new incoming transfer students are eligible for Pell Grants, the federal aid program for low-income families.
  • 6% of students are eligible for veteran’s benefits, a group that includes spouses and children of veterans.

As Esterberg noted, the UW Bothell student body is known for its diversity.

Looking at race, ethnicity or background, approximately 34% identify as Asian, 30% white, 10% Black or African American, 10% Hispanic or Latino, 6% two or more races, less than 1% American Indian or Alaska Native, less than 1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 6% are international students here on a visa.

Among all students at UW Bothell, 96% are Washington residents, with 58% coming from King County and 27% from Snohomish County.

Students who have declared majors break out as follows: 29% are in the School of STEM, 16% in the School of Business, 14% in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, 7% in the School of Nursing & Health Studies and 3% in the School of Educational Studies. The remaining 32% of UW Bothell students are first-year or pre-major students.

The average class size is 29 for undergraduates and 20 for graduate students. The University has 357 faculty members and 365 staff.

“We are proud of our small campus feel that allows us to help each student feel welcome and to personalize their educational experiences,” Esterberg said. “We are committed to innovating ways to improve their learning and success, and look forward to their academic and personal accomplishments at the end of spring quarter 2023!”

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