Photo Gallery: Fall Orientation Helps First-Year Students Settle In

Members of Class of 2019 bring cornucopia of gifts to Holy Cross



And they’re off!

First-year students were welcomed to campus with open arms when they arrived to campus on the morning of Aug. 29 for move-in day.

That spirit of enthusiasm and community building continued for the next few days as part of a series of welcoming events, known as Fall Gateways Orientation. The events are designed to ease transition to college life by introducing students to the wide variety of academic, spiritual, community-building, and social programs available at the College. Classes for first-year and all returning students began Sept. 2.

Highlights included:

  • Induction into Sader Nation in which the Class of 2019 was formally inducted into Holy Cross’ community of students.
  • First-Night Celebration on the Hogan Courtyard where first-year students participated in social activities and enjoyed fare from the DogFather food truck.
  • Welcome addresses from Jacqueline Peterson, vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students, and Margaret Freije, vice president of Academic Affairs and dean of the College, and Shawn Maurer, dean for the Class of 2019.

During Fall Convocation, a signature Holy Cross event held in St. Joseph Chapel, students reflected on what it will take for them to succeed at Holy Cross, like Saint Ignatius of Loyola whose transformation began with reflection on the top of Montserrat.

During the event, two presenters read some of the “gifts” that first-year students have brought to Holy Cross. These include:

  • Hailing from 36 states and 10 foreign countries, including Bosnia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Korea, Nigeria, Somalia, Spain, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.
  • More than one in six come from a home where more than one language is spoken.
  • One student camped through the 48 contiguous United States.
  • Another is a brown-belt clarinetist who has lived in four countries.
  • Nearly a third plan to play a sport at Holy Cross.
  • More than 40 plan on participating in the ROTC program.
  • Many have gained insights from doing service work in Appalachia, Nicaragua, Haiti, New York City, Worcester, or their local community.
  • Members of the class include All-Americans and All-Stars, MVPs and team captains, state champions and national and international competitors.
  • They also include a harpist who has played with the MIT philharmonic, a singer who has performed at Lincoln Center and the Grand Ole Opry Theater, an Irish step-dancer who competed at national and world events, a soloist who will perform at Carnegie Hall and a student who had photographs published in Finishing Magazine.

Photography by Tom Rettig and Dan Vaillancourt