From First-Years to Seniors, Celebrating the Start of a New Academic Year
September 3, 2025
The start of the academic year always brings a mix of excitement, anticipation, and a touch of nervous energy. This fall was no exception. Bookended by new students moving into their dorms and Convocation on the first day of classes, the week featured a number of events for new and returning students, including an academic fair, a gathering of 100 student club leaders for the Emerging Owls Leadership Institute, and many more traditions and milestones that mark the start of the fall semester.
“I'm not going to lie, yesterday was very emotional for me,” said first-year student Bianca Williams '29 on the day after move-in as she took part in the academic fair in which new students get to learn about Bryn Mawr’s more than 50 majors, minors, and concentrations from professors and administrators. “Saying goodbye to my family wasn’t easy. I'm originally from Boston and the first in my immediate family to go to college. My dad said he was going to have to stop by every month. I'm like, ‘not too much.’”
Bianca Williams '29 (right) and Yafreisi Garcia Cuevas '29 at the academic fair for first-year students.
While Williams intends to major in either biology or mathematics, she was in the Great Hall talking with professors from the French department, as she looks to take advantage of all Bryn Mawr has to offer.
“The vision that I have for the future is really big, and it's starting here,” she said. “This is the foundation for my future and I'm really excited."
Isa Arbetan '29, who traveled all the way from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to attend Bryn Mawr, was also at the fair.
“Bryn Mawr was one of my top three picks,” she “And then I visited and it was absolutely my top pick.”
While at the fair, Arbetan was soaking in all the academic options available to her.
“I love that Bryn Mawr gives you the time to take a bunch of classes that might not fit into your major but are still super interesting.”
Isa Arbetan '29
“I talked to the Anthropology people, Classics, Russian, Korean, and Growth and Structure of Cities, and I signed up for the email list for Middle Eastern, Central Asian, and North African Studies,” she said. “I love that Bryn Mawr gives you the time to take a bunch of classes that might not fit into your major but are still super interesting.”
And it’s not just the students who get excited for the start of the year.
Professor of Chemistry Michelle Francl welcomed new students at the fair as she starts her 40th and final year of teaching.
“I'm excited because they're excited,” said Francl, who plans a series of icebreakers for the first few classes to help students relax and get to know each other.
“In the intro Chem course, the ice breaker is all these weird trivia questions about the periodic table that they work together on answering. There are some fun things in there, like, how many elements are named for women?”
In addition to our undergraduate students, 12 graduate students began their studies in the departments of Archaeology, Classics, History of Art, Mathematics and Physics.
The 2025 Graduate School of Arts and Sciences cohort with Interim Dean Lisa Saltzman, professor of History of Art (center).
The Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research welcomed 86 M.S.S. students and two Ph.D. students.
More than 100 students participated in The Emerging Owls: Leadership Development Program.
After new students are welcomed to campus during Customs Week, the academic year gets off to an official start with the first day of classes and the Convocation ceremony that ushers in the graduating class’ final year at Bryn Mawr.
President Wendy Cadge at Convocation
Speakers at the event included Senior Class Dean Akirah Fenimore, President Wendy Cadge, Vice President of Enrollment Cheryl Lynn Horsey, Professor of Creative Writing Dee Matthews, who read an original poem for the event, Professor of Chemistry Michelle Francl, and student speakers Nethmi Dharmasena ’27, Clio Morbello ’26, Sara Pratt ’26, and M.S.S. student Jamie Fiore Higgins ’98. The event also featured a dance piece choreographed by Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance Tammy Carrasco and performed by Julia Lee, Samantha Bass, Rose Sunderland-McKay, Lola Peyrouse-Bremer, Sofia Forte, Ariya Bandy, and two professional dancers.
“Before I close, let’s be sure — amid all the learning, discovering, creating, planning and visioning — to have fun and engage deeply with one another,” Cadge told those gathered. “Fun may be with your head in a book, making something from beads with the art club, loving the presidential pugs as they walk through campus...these things sound like solo activities but at Bryn Mawr we know the power of deep engagement with one another.”
