Hilltop

Record Enrollment

The Class of 2020

Kimball Union saw a banner year in admission and enrollment efforts as it brought in a diverse and vibrant student body for the 2022-23 academic year. For the first time in Kimball Union’s recent history, the Academy was fully enrolled on April 10, with 122 new students committing in the first round of admission decisions. The Academy also saw a 25-percent increase in applications and a nearly 10-percent increase in yield. The incoming ninth-grade class is one of the largest and the most diverse cohort in KUA’s history.

Explore KUA Today

Do you know a student who would benefit from the KUA experience? The Office of Admission invites you to learn more about KUA through a campus visit or upcoming event.

Visit kua.org/admission or email admission@kua.org to learn more.

Remembrance

Burke Ryder ’23

KUA mourns the loss of a remarkable student.

Kimball Union Academy lost a beloved student and community member this fall. Burke Ryder ’23 passed away peacefully on Thursday, November 10, 2022, at the age of 18 after a battle with cancer.

Ryder was born in Denver, Colorado, on May 24, 2004. At the age of 13, he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma after complaining of pain in his leg while training with his alpine ski team. Ryder fearlessly battled the disease for five years, including the amputation of his left leg.

Instead of retreating, he rose to meet his life’s challenges with unrelenting courage, adapting and overcoming them to create an exemplary life. Ryder returned to skiing on a sit-ski, loving every turn and even skiing all five peaks on Breckenridge Mountain in a single day. He tackled those hills as if it would be his last ski day—and it was.

Ryder joined the KUA community fresh off his surgery with a light spirit and an ever-present smile. He never spoke about his struggles, focusing instead on the people around him. Ryder was an integral part of the Theater Tech Program and oversaw the lighting for theater performances in Flickinger Art Center. He was accepted into KUA’s STEM Scholar Program during his junior year and earned the Cyrus Richard Award, “the highest award for integrity and valor at Kimball Union Academy.”

Ryder fully embraced KUA, never taking one minute for granted. KUA, in turn, fully embraced Burke, never taking him or his contributions for granted. He began his senior year living on campus and then chose to live out his final days surrounded by family and his faithful dog, Hootie, just up the road from KUA’s campus at a farmhouse affectionately dubbed “Ryder Dorm.”

Ryder is survived by his parents, Lee and Kristin Ryder of Breckenridge, Colo., and his younger brother, Teo.

The Burke Ryder ’23 Scholarship Fund at Kimball Union Academy has been established in his name to support future students who, like Ryder, are passionate members of the KUA community. K