Four hundred freshmen packed the Connor Convocation Center floor in Crestview Hills on Aug. 14 waving and jumping around the center-court Saints logo as Thomas More University officially welcomed its Class of 2030.

The incoming class draws students from 20 states and eight countries, and 22% are first-generation college students, the university announced on X. That geographic spread marks a widening footprint for the Catholic liberal arts school founded in 1921 at 333 Thomas More Parkway.

The 400 newcomers represent roughly 17% of TMU's total enrollment of more than 2,300 students. By comparison, TMU conferred 473 degrees at its 98th commencement ceremony in May.

Classes begin Monday, Aug. 17, three days after the convocation, according to WLWT's back-to-school listing.

In a July 20 video posted to X, TMU asked incoming students what they were most looking forward to and urged the campus community to greet the new Saints when they arrived on campus this fall.

At a May ribbon-cutting for TMU's Bluegrass Education Center in Lancaster, president Joseph L. Chillo said the university is "building a future where students can learn, grow, and thrive close to home while preparing to make a difference far beyond it." The Class of 2030 convocation continues that theme of expanding access, with students arriving from as far as eight countries to study in Crestview Hills.

TMU was named one of the 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. by the Wall Street Journal.

Upcoming at Thomas More University