Union will officially welcome the Class of 2020 when students begin moving in on Sunday, Sept. 4.
The 563 first-year students were selected from record 6,647 applications, one of the most competitive admissions cycles in the school’s history.
The students hail from 29 states and 23 countries, including Mauritius, Rwanda and Zimbabwe. The class is one of the most diverse, with nearly 30 percent international or from underrepresented backgrounds. It’s also one of the strongest academically, with two-thirds of the students ranked in the top 10 of their high school class.
At 9 a.m., students will begin moving into their residence halls. At 3 p.m., following a series of activities and programs, the students and their families will receive an official welcome from President Stephen C. Ainlay and other College leaders in Memorial Chapel.
At 3:45 p.m., the students will say goodbye to their families before heading off to group orientation activities. There are two events for parents: a tea in Schaffer Library from 1 to 2 p.m. and a reception hosted by Alumni Relations at 3:45 p.m. at Abbe Hall.
At 6:30 p.m., the students pose for a class picture at the Nott Memorial. Daisy Hernandez, author of “A Cup of Water Under My Bed” (this year's summer reading for incoming students), speaks at 8:30 p.m. in Memorial Chapel.
Orientation activities continue on Monday with a full slate of programs.
“We are excited to welcome the Class of 2020 to Union,” said Kate Schurick, dean of first-year students. “Each year new students make our campus come to life with the energy they bring, and I am sure this class will be no different. Union has much to offer, and we look forward to the first-year students taking full advantage of all that is of interest to them.”
Residence halls open for returning students Tuesday, Sept. 6.
Fall term classes begin Wednesday, Sept. 7.
Opening Convocation, in which the Union community celebrates the official start of the academic year, is set for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6 in Memorial Chapel, followed by an all-campus barbecue on Rugby Field.