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President Neville Pinto welcomes UC back for 207th academic year

The power of a public mission in a changing world

headshot of John Bach By John Bach 513-556-2019
7 minute read August 25, 2025

As we begin our 207th academic year at the University of Cincinnati, I am struck by the enduring sense of purpose that defines this remarkable institution.

On Sept. 1, I will mark the completion of my 40th year in higher education — a journey that began right here at UC, where I spent most of my career. Since returning in 2017 to serve as president, I have had the privilege of witnessing firsthand how this university continues to grow, adapt and lead with vision and conviction.

Accessories, Accessory, Apparel, Clothing, Coat, Human, Overcoat, Person, Suit, Tie Office of the President staff and student employee portraits

UC President Neville Pinto

In 2018 we launched our strategic direction, Next Lives Here. Now in its eighth year, this initiative has shaped every dimension of our work — driving us to elevate excellence, embrace innovation and deepen impact. As we look ahead to 2026, we are preparing to enter its final and most ambitious stage: the Breakthrough phase.

At the heart of this vision is a bold, shared goal: to become one of our nation’s top urban public research universities — a place where the focus is on our students, where access and excellence go hand in hand, where research drives real-world solutions and where innovation serves people and communities first.

This fall, we expect to welcome a record-breaking 54,000 students into the Bearcat family. To put that growth in perspective: prior to the launch of Next Lives Here, enrollment had held steady at around 44,000 students for five consecutive years. Since 2017, we’ve added about 10,000 students — an extraordinary achievement in a time when higher education enrollment is declining across Ohio and the nation. This momentum is made possible by the exceptional dedication of our faculty and staff, whose talent and commitment continue to inspire.

Bar chart shows UC's enrollment growth from 44,000 to 54,000 students from 2017 to 2025

UC has experienced enrollment growth of about 10,000 over the last eight years. Chart design by Natalie Broering/Marketing + Communications.

With this growth comes the responsibility to ensure our infrastructure, staffing and support systems keep pace with demand. We are actively working to scale thoughtfully — investing not only in facilities, but in the people and processes that enable student success.  

As we continue to pursue our academic mission, investment in our faculty — as educators, researchers and university leaders — will remain a priority. Their work in the classroom, the lab, the clinic and our city shapes not just graduates but whole generations of thinkers, leaders and doers. A UC education is not simply a pathway to a degree — it’s a pathway to impact. We remain committed to academic excellence, freedom of inquiry and consequential outcomes — not only for our students but for our region and society. 

At a time when academic institutions face growing scrutiny, our commitment to academic freedom remains unwavering. We believe that the pursuit of truth, open inquiry and respectful dialogue are essential to both student learning and societal progress. That means preparing graduates who are equipped to lead and engage productively in our society.

Bearcats Bound Orientation for incoming freshman class
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Incoming first-year students learn the "Down The Drive" cheer during Bearcats Bound orientation over the summer. photo/Andrew Higley/Marketing + Communications

The pace of change is no longer incremental — it’s exponential, and it will redefine every aspect of the human experience, including higher education.

President Neville G. Pinto

With more than 360,000 living alumni, half of whom live and work in our region, UC’s influence is deeply woven into the fabric of Greater Cincinnati and Ohio. Our graduates power the growth of our schools, industries, hospitals and civic institutions. Through co-op programs, internships and public partnerships, we are strengthening the talent pipeline that fuels our communities. By focusing on student achievement, workforce alignment and civic readiness, we continue to earn trust — not through rhetoric, but through outcomes that build shared prosperity.

We are now living through a global tech super cycle — a wave of rapid innovation driven by the convergence of complementary scientific and technological advancements in artificial intelligence and automation. The pace of change is no longer incremental — it’s exponential, and it will redefine every aspect of the human experience, including higher education. To ground this momentum in practical innovation, UC recently launched an Immersive Learning and Emerging Technologies Working Group — a cross-functional effort to enhance teaching, research and operations. This interdisciplinary initiative will help ensure UC remains ahead of the curve — shaping immersive, accessible learning experiences that prepare our students for the exponential change ahead. 

This past year, our research enterprise reached record highs of $740 million and nearly 6,000 research publications — a testament to our faculty’s impact and ambition. Despite growing uncertainty and evolving federal requirements, our researchers continue to lead with distinction — producing knowledge and discoveries that serve our city, our state and our world. We are committed to supporting their work and advocating for the resources and policies they need to thrive.

UC celebrates its Summer Commencement Ceremony.
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A new graduate celebrates his achievement during UC's Summer 2025 commencement ceremony. His was among 2,200 degrees handed out during the ceremony. UC averages more than 12,000 such graduates every year. photo/Andrew Higley/Marketing + Communications

We are also investing in the spaces where learning and discovery happen, including our transformed Old Chemistry Building — featuring new labs and academic spaces designed to support both students and faculty. Since launching Next Lives Here, we have opened 10 buildings focused on teaching, research or both.

This past summer, we also opened the new Sheakley Indoor Practice Facility and Athletics Performance Center. This facility is a critical investment in ensuring UC remains competitive in the Big 12 and continues to attract top student-athletes. Additionally, construction continues on the Block 1 & 2 residence hall at the corner of Calhoun and Vine, part of our long-term Master Plan to provide ample, modern student housing. 

Founded in 1819, this university began with a simple but powerful idea: that education could transform lives and uplift communities. That founding belief has carried us across centuries — and today, it fuels our future. As we begin this new academic year — and prepare to launch the Breakthrough phase of Next Lives Here in 2026 — we remain firmly focused on what comes next: building a university of national distinction rooted in local impact.

To all our students, faculty, staff, alumni and community partners — thank you. Your dedication, courage and creativity make the University of Cincinnati what it is, and what it will become.

Let us enter this next chapter with clarity of purpose, pride in our progress and boldness in our ambitions.
 

Go Bearcats,

Neville G. Pinto President, University of Cincinnati

Read the 2025 back-to-school coverage

Featured image at top courtesy of UC alumnus Sid Thatham, who now works as an engineer in UC's Central Utility Plant.

Impact Lives Here

The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.

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