Looking back at 2025

Take a look back at some of the top College stories from 2025, a year in which undergraduates…

…learned new things in the classroom.

Through Core classes and beyond, students engaged in intellectual exploration, fearless analysis and scholarly debate all year long. 

Inquiry, Conversation, Argument, the new Core writing requirement, brings the life of the mind to the page by teaching writing through the exploration of an interpretive question. In Metabolism and Exercise, students learn about the human body and its systems before using themselves as the subject of laboratory experiments to explore how exercise and stress impact humans. 

A class from Arts + Public Life had students explore cultural programming as a tool to engage and strengthen communities, while a geology and environmental science course turned a South Side beach into a geoscience laboratory. Research in classes prompted undergraduates to ask big questions before using science to try and discover the answers.

…earned prestigious scholarships.

Fourth-year Tori Harris was named a Rhodes Scholar; Elijah Jenkins and Logan Hanssler were selected as Marshall Scholars; Marine veteran and undergraduate Luke Magyar was awarded a Truman scholarship; four students earned Goldwater Scholarships; an undergraduate and an alum were named Schwarzman Scholars; an undergraduate and an alum were named Gates-Cambridge scholars; Cara Wilson, AB’25, was awarded a Carnegie Fellowship; two members of the Class of 2025 earned Udall honors; and Samantha Taylor, AB’25, was named a Knight-Hennessy Scholar.

…contributed to research and intellectual production in meaningful ways.

Throughout the year, undergraduates engaged in diverse research activities and intellectual production opportunities across campus and beyond. College students contributed to the work of UChicago scholars and other leaders in their fields—studying diseases in the hope of finding better treatments, discovering gems in the Library archives, working at national laboratories and more.

The work of undergraduates were represented at conferences and events throughout the year, including the 2025 UChicago Undergraduate Research Symposium at the David Rubenstein Forum in April. Here, nearly 300 College students and recent alums shared their achievements in research.

…explored new fields of study.

Two new majors and four minors in the College added to the growing number of faculty-led programs of study, responding to students’ interest and leveraging faculty research and expertise. Undergraduates can now explore new fields of study in Archaeology, Climate and Sustainable Growth, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and Kreyòl and Haitian studies.

…said goodbye to the Class of 2025, and welcomed to the Class of 2029.

At the University of Chicago’s Class Day ceremony on June 6, students from the Class of 2025 reflected on the small moments that gave rise to their biggest lessons. Fourth-year students were selected by their peers to speak about the undergraduate experiences and David Axelrod, AB’76, delivered the keynote address focused on his years in the College—and how that time guided his life and career.

In October, new students were welcomed to campus with unique activities and cherished traditions that encompass the College’s Orientation Week. A highlight of the week was the annual Aims of Education address, where Prof. Peggy Mason urged students to embrace discomfort, take intellectual risks and grow as thinkers during their time at UChicago.

…cheered on the Maroons.

Another banner year for UChicago Athletics was highlighted by the women’s distance medley relay team winning their first national championship in that event, the men’s swimming and diving team finished third place at the NCAA III national championships in March for the third straight year (thanks in part to four events where they won the NCAA title), the women’s soccer team made an impressive run to the NCAA Final Four. 

Club sports found themselves in the winner’s circle as well. The Maroons club golf team swept all four Great Lakes Regional tournaments and are in a strong spot to receive their first ever bid to the national championship in the spring. The rugby club team also advanced to the Division II National Final. Go Maroons!

Explore all the stories from the year at college.uchicago.edu/news.