Dear Sewanee community,

The arrival of fall always brings renewed energy at Sewanee as we greet the newest group of students joining our campus community. As the first full week of classes gets underway, let’s take a moment to celebrate the Class of 2029’s arrival on the Mountain.

Starting in early August, we began welcoming students back to campus. First to arrive were the 52 proctors, who, together with Residential Life staff and Facilities Management, worked diligently to prepare residence halls and campus for move-in. Next were student-athletes from the men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s soccer, and volleyball teams. Men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball have already had their home openers—follow the Athletics calendar and make sure to support the Sewanee Tigers at upcoming events!

PRE kicked off with an intense four-day Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA) training, resulting in 43 new student leaders obtaining a three-year certification. A total of 95 Sewanee Outing Program (SOP)/PRE certified leaders led 215 first-year students on climbing, hiking, caving, canoeing, outreach, ropes course, and campout excursions. 

The newly launched First Year Experience (FYE) pilot program, directed by Professor Betsy Sandlin, welcomed 135 first-year students alongside 20 peer mentors, eight Sewanee faculty, and staff teams from across campus. Students in the program covered a lot of ground, from classes in Abbo’s Alley to volunteering with local community organizations to excursions to the Tennessee State and Hermitage Museums—and more!

Both programs eased students’ transition into Sewanee by fostering friendships and connecting them with the Domain and our surrounding community.

We enjoyed meeting so many new students and their families at Orientation. Members of the Class of 2029 and new transfer students were welcomed into the EQB community by reciting the University motto and exchanging specially made EQB pins with peers, got to know one another—and the Domain—and, as is our tradition, signed the Honor Code. If you missed the remarks from Honor Council Chair Jed Straessle, C’26, make sure to watch the video here.

Check out more pictures from move-in, early arrival programs, and Orientation here!

Thank you to all who signed up to volunteer to help welcome our new students. The spirit of EQB was alive and well. We can’t thank everyone by name here, but do want to recognize the following teams for everything they’ve done to ensure the year started on a high note: Admission & Financial Aid; Angels; Athletics; Career Readiness + Student Success; Office of Civic Engagement; Office of the Dean of the College; Office of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability; Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX; Facilities Management; the FYE faculty and leadership team; Office of Global Citizenship; Greek Council; Honor Council; Library and Information Technology Services; Marketing and Communications; Proctors; Print Services; Sewanee Dining; Sewanee Outing Program; Sewanee Police Department; Student Accounts; Student Life; Sewanee Volunteer Fire Department; University Relations; and the Wellness Commons. And, of course, we especially thank the many student leaders—FYE mentors, Orientation leaders, and PRE leaders, and the faculty and staff, who made all these events happen.

As we move into fall, we look forward to seeing all the ways this exceptional group of new students will contribute to Sewanee’s vibrant community and leave their mark on the Mountain. Welcome home, Class of 2029!


EQB,

Nicky Campbell, C’99
Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students

Jennifer Cooley
Vice Provost and Dean of the College & Professor of Spanish