The number of students admitted into the Foundation Fellows program has been lower than average over the past two years, but program administrators are confident it will rise again.

On average, the Foundation Fellowship — one of the University’s top academic scholarships — is offered to 20 freshmen students each fall. Last year, however, 11 first-year students were admitted, and this year 15 joined the program. David Williams, director of the Honors Program and Foundation Fellows, said the state of the economy was to blame.

“The Foundation Fellowship budget is funded by private dollars, not state money,” he said. “The state budget doesn’t impact the Foundation Fellows budget, but the economy over the last few years has lead to endowments being reduced in overall size.”

The budget is comprised of money from several private donors, the largest single amount being a multi-million dollar gift from Bernard Ramsey. Williams said instead of cutting back on the benefits Foundation Fellows receive, the University admitted fewer Fellows to conserve funds.

“We invited 50 or 55 students to our interview weekend instead of about 70,” he said. “We are actually at or above the number that were admitted for many years; only in a strong economy we went up to the 20 or so mark.”

The average cost to the University for both an in-state and out-of-state Foundation Fellow for the 2011 fiscal year is $24,684. This number takes into account the scholarship stipend that Fellows receive as well as travel costs for study abroad opportunities. First year Foundation Fellows study abroad in Oxford, England, for a month over the summer, and all Foundation Fellows participate in yearly spring break travel-study programs.

For Clara Nibbelink, a freshman Foundation Fellow from Athens, the smaller size of her class isn’t an issue.

“The size is perfect right now,” she said. “There are enough people that there is diversity, but you’re close enough to where you get to know everyone.”

Derek Ponticelli, a sophomore fellow from Marietta, said the size of his class had some benefits.

“We’re a tight-knit group, and there’s not as large of an opportunity to form cliques,” he said.

Foundation Fellows are assigned “Big Fellows” as freshmen, and these older students act as mentors and friends to the younger students. Usually, there is only one Big Fellow assigned to every freshman, but because of Ponticelli’s small class size, each student was able to receive extra attention.

“Since our class is small, we each get two Big Fellows, who are two really great resources and friends,” he said.

Though smaller class sizes haven’t negatively affected the Foundation Fellows, Williams said he is confident the program can return to its former size over the next few years.

“The program is very healthy, and is climbing back to its full capacity,” he said. “I feel very confident about its financial stability.”