AJCU Schools Welcome Class of 2023 to Campus

By Deanna Howes Spiro, Director of Communications, AJCU
(202) 862-9893, dhowes@ajcunet.edu

It’s that time of year again! The class of 2023 has arrived on Jesuit campuses across the country, ready to begin the next four years of their lives. Over the past few weeks, students have participated in orientation programs, many of which included community service events. In addition to bringing students together, these events helped to introduce them to their local communities, as well as the Jesuit mission of being men and women for and with others.

Jesuit schools also demonstrated their commitment to caring for the whole person by having sophomores, juniors and seniors help move first-year students into their dorms. These “move crews” helped to ease the transition from home to school for students and their families. Move-in day events also included blessings from presidents, Jesuits in residence and other members of our campus communities.

Read on to learn more about the opening of the new academic year!

Students in The University of Scranton’s FIRST Program (Freshmen Involved in Reflective Service Together) volunteered at the St. Francis of Assisi Client-Choice Food Pantry in Scranton, PA (photo by The University of Scranton)

Students in The University of Scranton’s FIRST Program (Freshmen Involved in Reflective Service Together) volunteered at the St. Francis of Assisi Client-Choice Food Pantry in Scranton, PA (photo by The University of Scranton)

Rockhurst University’s president, Rev. Thomas B. Curran, S.J., volunteered with first-year students during the annual Finucane Service Project in Kansas City, MO (photo by Rockhurst University)

Rockhurst University’s president, Rev. Thomas B. Curran, S.J., volunteered with first-year students during the annual Finucane Service Project in Kansas City, MO (photo by Rockhurst University)

Rev. Michael Maher, S.J., residence minister and associate professor of history at Marquette University, offered a blessing to new students and their families at The Commons (photo by Marquette University)

Rev. Michael Maher, S.J., residence minister and associate professor of history at Marquette University, offered a blessing to new students and their families at The Commons (photo by Marquette University)

Sophomores, juniors and seniors at Xavier University volunteered as members of the “Move Crew” to help move first-year students into their dorms (photo by Xavier University)

Sophomores, juniors and seniors at Xavier University volunteered as members of the “Move Crew” to help move first-year students into their dorms (photo by Xavier University)

Loyola Marymount University hosted “Slice of Service” on campus, to introduce first-year students to more than 25 clubs and organizations dedicated to community service and social justice work on and off campus, locally and abroad (photo by Loyola M

Loyola Marymount University hosted “Slice of Service” on campus, to introduce first-year students to more than 25 clubs and organizations dedicated to community service and social justice work on and off campus, locally and abroad (photo by Loyola Marymount University)

Students at Canisius University began their college career with a formal blessing from the College’s president and administration (photo by Canisius University)

Students at Canisius University began their college career with a formal blessing from the College’s president and administration (photo by Canisius University)

As part of the Prologues, Transitions and Viewpoints (PTV) program at the University of Detroit Mercy, students spent a day performing community service work throughout the city of Detroit (photo by University of Detroit Mercy)

As part of the Prologues, Transitions and Viewpoints (PTV) program at the University of Detroit Mercy, students spent a day performing community service work throughout the city of Detroit (photo by University of Detroit Mercy)

Marquette University hosted Urban Connection for 150 students to volunteer across Milwaukee during orientation; projects included working in community gardens, serving meals to neighbors in need and sorting through donated children’s books (photo by

Marquette University hosted Urban Connection for 150 students to volunteer across Milwaukee during orientation; projects included working in community gardens, serving meals to neighbors in need and sorting through donated children’s books (photo by Marquette University)

Students in The University of Scranton’s Magis Honors Program in STEM participated in a community research project at the Lacawac Sanctuary in the Poconos to study the local deer population and their impact on trees (photo by The University of Scran

Students in The University of Scranton’s Magis Honors Program in STEM participated in a community research project at the Lacawac Sanctuary in the Poconos to study the local deer population and their impact on trees (photo by The University of Scranton)

Students in The University of Scranton’s FIRST Program (Freshmen Involved in Reflective Service Together) volunteered at the St. Francis of Assisi Client-Choice Food Pantry in Scranton, PA (photo by The University of Scranton) Rockhurst University’s president, Rev. Thomas B. Curran, S.J., volunteered with first-year students during the annual Finucane Service Project in Kansas City, MO (photo by Rockhurst University) Rev. Michael Maher, S.J., residence minister and associate professor of history at Marquette University, offered a blessing to new students and their families at The Commons (photo by Marquette University) Sophomores, juniors and seniors at Xavier University volunteered as members of the “Move Crew” to help move first-year students into their dorms (photo by Xavier University) Loyola Marymount University hosted “Slice of Service” on campus, to introduce first-year students to more than 25 clubs and organizations dedicated to community service and social justice work on and off campus, locally and abroad (photo by Loyola M Students at Canisius University began their college career with a formal blessing from the College’s president and administration (photo by Canisius University) As part of the Prologues, Transitions and Viewpoints (PTV) program at the University of Detroit Mercy, students spent a day performing community service work throughout the city of Detroit (photo by University of Detroit Mercy) Marquette University hosted Urban Connection for 150 students to volunteer across Milwaukee during orientation; projects included working in community gardens, serving meals to neighbors in need and sorting through donated children’s books (photo by Students in The University of Scranton’s Magis Honors Program in STEM participated in a community research project at the Lacawac Sanctuary in the Poconos to study the local deer population and their impact on trees (photo by The University of Scran

STORIES OF SERVICE

Fordham University hosted the Urban Plunge service program for first-year students to volunteer throughout the Bronx and Manhattan; students in the School of Nursing and Health Studies at Georgetown University participated in an orientation program co-designed by Georgetown’s Office of Mission and Ministry and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.; students at Saint Joseph’s University participated in the Philadelphia Service Immersion Program; the New Student Day of Service at Saint Louis University brought students to 70 volunteer sites across St. Louis; and a group of first-year students at the University of San Francisco’s School of Law volunteered at the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, where they made birthday cards for senior citizens, cleaned the Cathedral’s community areas and much more.

To learn more about this year’s orientation events, please click on the photos and captions in the slideshow above!

MOVE-IN WEEK VIDEOS, PHOTOS & FUN

Many schools have posted photo galleries from their move-in days and news releases on their orientation events and facts on the class of 2023. Click on the following names to view them online: College of the Holy Cross, Creighton University, Fordham University, Georgetown University, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Maryland, Loyola University New Orleans, Marquette University, Regis University, Saint Louis University, Saint Peter’s University, Santa Clara University and the University of Detroit Mercy.

It’s not basketball season yet, but Le Moyne College is already getting prepared for the competition! As part of its welcome week, students were treated to a celebrity basketball game played by Le Moyne’s president, Dr. Linda LeMura, and men’s basketball coach, Nate Champion, against the mayor of Syracuse and the Onondaga County Executive. Click here to find out who won! (And click here to learn more about this year’s first-year students at Le Moyne.)

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John Carroll University’s president, Dr. Michael Johnson, delivered a video message to welcome new students to campus

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Loyola Marymount University welcomed the class of 2023 in true LMU fashion

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Boston College produced a time-lapse video of the class of 2023 getting into formation

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New members of the Bluejay family were welcomed to Creighton University

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Campion College, an associate member of AJCU, debuted a new promotional video to coincide with the academic year

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Rockhurst University shared highlights from new student orientation in video form

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View highlights from move-in day at Spring Hill College in this time-lapse video

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Loyola University New Orleans’ SGA vice president welcomed students to the next best four years of their lives

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Canisius University produced a video from the 2019 welcome and blessing on first-year students

Meet the class of 2023, featuring students from across the world, at the University of San Francisco

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View highlights from move-in day in Worcester at the College of the Holy Cross

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View highlights from Move-in Day 2019 at Seattle University

ADVICE FOR THE CLASS OF 2023

There’s no shortage of advice that people like to give first-year college students! At Fairfield University, students from the class of 2019 shared what they wish they had known when they began college with the class of 2023. During this year’s academic convocation at Gonzaga University, students learned how to be academically successful at Gonzaga from civil engineering professor, Dr. Sue Niezgoda. Xavier University’s president, Rev. Michael J. Graham, S.J., offered “three rules of the road” in his welcome address to students. And finally, Rev. Scott Santarosa, S.J., provincial of the Jesuits West Province, issued a pastoral letter to students, offering his prayers for the start of the academic year.

Please note: Santa Clara University and Seattle University are both on the quarter-system and will host orientation and move-in day events later this month. This page will continue to be updated throughout September; please send your photos, videos and news to Deanna Howes Spiro: dhowes@ajcunet.edu.