This weekend Union College welcomes the Class of 2012, one of the largest in recent years.
The 581 members of the class move into their residence halls Saturday, Sept. 6, beginning at 9 .a.m. Orientation activities include everything from tours of the Minerva Houses and downtown Schenectady to talks by noted political blogger Joshua Micah Marshall and a popular national alcohol awareness speaker.
The students in the Class of 2012 were chosen from a record 5,271 applications. Average SAT scores rose to 1900 (out of 2400), up 20 points from the previous year. The middle 50 pecent of enrolled students is 1170-1340 (out of 1600).
“We are excited to have this impressive group of students join the Union community,” said Matthew Malatesta, vice president for Admissions, Financial Aid and Enrollment. “Our incoming students should be proud of their accomplishments, gaining admittance to Union during our most competitive admissions year in 20 years.”
Union’s newest students will receive an official welcome from President Stephen C. Ainlay and other College leaders at 3 p.m. in Memorial Chapel.
At 3:45, p.m., the students will say goodbye to their families before heading off to their group orientation activities. At 6:30 p.m., students will walk over to the President’s House, where they will sing the College’s alma mater, Ode to Old Union, for Ainlay and his wife, Judith. And at 9:30 p.m., speaker Mike Green will lead a discussion, “The Four Stages of Drinking,” an interactive event designed to make students think about the role alcohol plays in their lives. Green has addressed legions of students at more than 1,000 campuses nationwide to promote responsible college living.
Marshall, the founder of Talking Points Memo, will speak at 7 pm. Sunday at the Nott Memorial. He is the only Internet journalist to win the prestigious Polk award for Legal Journalism. His visit ties in with the incoming class’s assigned readings of books by the presidential candidates, John McCain and Barack Obama. Prof. Suzie Benack, who organized the reading program, reports that Marshall was the top choice of political science students surveyed. The event is open to the Union community.
Orientation activities continue on Monday, with a full slate of programs. Opening convocation, in which the Union community celebrates the official opening of the academic year, is set for 4:30 p.m. at Memorial Chapel.
The academic procession begins at 4:15 p.m., and a reception will be held in Hale House and Old Chapel at 5:30 p.m.
Residence halls open for returning students Sunday.
Fall term classes for all students begin Tuesday, Sept. 9.