‘Some of your best memories may happen because you decided to take a chance’
Hundreds of new Clarkies students packed into the Kneller Athletic Center on Thursday afternoon after moving into residence halls with the help of their family members and peer mentors, getting used to their new home away from home.
President David Fithian ’87 greeted the Class of 2030 and remarked that for all the ways Clark will shape them, they will shape Clark, too.
“I know this moment can bring many emotions: excitement and joy, trepidation and anxiety,” he said. “Whatever you are feeling, know this: We are genuinely happy you are here and that, within days if not hours, you will feel the embrace of this place.”
Clark is welcoming 640 new undergrads to campus this August, a cohort that represents 36 different states, plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, and 30 countries. The class size will be finalized on the 10th day of classes.
This group includes 589 first-year students and 51 transfer students. Of these new Clarkies, 8.5% are international students, most commonly from Ghana, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, China, and Nepal. The most-represented U.S. states among this group, aside from Massachusetts, are New York, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, and California.
In total, 21.6% of the new Clarkies are first-generation college students, which the University defines as students whose parents or guardians did not complete a bachelor’s degree.
“There is no single path through college. No perfect formula. No way to make every decision correctly. Uncertainty is normal, and learning to navigate it is an important skill in itself,” Fithian said. “Do not let the fear of making a wrong choice keep you from making a choice. Try things. Explore. Take some risks. You may discover a passion you never expected.”
John Magee, provost and vice president of academic affairs, told the first-year students that learning happens in more than just classrooms. Students will expand their horizons in conversations with faculty, in research and creative work, in residence halls, on athletic teams, in community partnerships, through internships, and through their own questions.
“We want you to become really good problem-solvers,” he said. “Not just people who know answers, but people who can frame better questions, work with others, adapt when circumstances change, and keep learning throughout your lives.”
About 25% of new first-year students will participate in the Honors Program. Fifty members of the Class of 2030 are the first cohort of Shaich Scholars, and 20 will be among the first group of Penn Scholars.
Some students are arriving at Clark with an idea of what major they want to pursue — many members of the group have signaled academic interests in psychology; interactive media in the Becker School of Design & Technology; biology, which is affiliated with the School of Climate, Environment, and Society; business administration in the School of Business; and computer science.
Danielle Morgan Acosta ’05, MAT ’06, assistant provost of student success and dean of students, reminded the newest Clarkies that today is the start of a new journey.
“Over the next four years, you are going to learn things you never imagined you would learn. You’re going to develop skills you don’t even know that you need. You’re going to meet people who will change your life,” she said. “You will grow. You will change. You may surprise yourself. And you will discover more about who you are and what matters to you.”
Nishat Zahan ’28, president of the Undergraduate Student Council, encouraged her new peers to join a club, attend a game and cheer on student-athletes, and to say “yes” to opportunities.
“Some of your best memories may happen because you decided to take a chance,” she said. “And remember, you don’t have to go through college alone. This campus is a community, and communities are built by people who listen to and care for one another. A simple hello, an act of kindness, or taking a moment to include someone can make a bigger difference than you realize.”
