Welcome Home, Class of 2024!

On Friday, Aug. 21, St. John Fisher College officially welcomed the Class of 2024 to their new home. And, while students, parents, faculty, and staff may have been wearing masks, the face coverings couldn't hide the smiles, spirit, and enthusiasm on campus.

First-year student Chloe Van Gorder moved into her new home on Fisher's campus.

The largest cohort of freshmen to arrive on campus in the College’s history; this is the fourth consecutive year that Fisher has enrolled a class larger than 600 students. The Class of 2024 is among the most academically-qualified classes the College has seen, with impressive grade point average and standardized test scores; it is also the most diverse to date. Additionally, the College welcomed its inaugural cohort of Fisher Urban Scholars, comprised of 35 students from the City of Rochester.

This year, families experienced a Welcome Parade, where faculty, staff, current students, and alumni lined the center entrance of campus to cheer on families as they approached Ward and Haffey Halls. Students living in Murphy Hall also had their own parade lining the entrance of south campus.

Rian Conover ’21, an Orientation program coordinator, was on the team of students and staff who helped plan the new Welcome Day. Recalling her freshman year as “exciting, new, and quick,” she hopes Fisher’s newest members will enjoy every moment of their first year. She encourages them to join clubs and engage in activities, take every opportunity to meet with their professors, and use planners to stay organized.

Chloe Van Gorder, who hopes to major in nursing, said she is excited to be on campus and ready for a suite of science-based courses in chemistry, psychology, and physiology courses. “I hope to have a good college experience and make lifelong friends,” Van Gorder says.

Shelley Van Gorder, Chloe’s mom, echoed her excitement for the start of the school year and some return to normalcy. And, she had a few words of advice for her daughter as she embarks on her college experience. “Work hard, have fun, and be safe and smart,” she says.

Buffalo native Eric Kegler moved onto campus with the help of his mom and godmother.

That is advice another Fisher mom, Taschel Jamison, agrees with wholeheartedly. Jamison moved her son, Eric Kegler, onto campus from Buffalo, New York. She is glad he was able to have the residential campus experience and hopes he will make the most of it.

“I want him to concentrate on his studies and maximize his time here,” she said. “He’s a social person, so I want him to meet new people, and as an educator, academics is always first for him in my mind.”

Kegler, who chose Fisher because it felt like the best place for him, will study sport management at the College. “I’m excited to start on a fresh journey,” he said. “I’m ready to just get better every day.’

Throughout the weekend, these new Cardinals participated in virtual workshops and small group seminars introducing them to Fisher, and on Sunday evening, a virtual Matriculation event ceremoniously marked their academic start at the College.