It seems like a good sign for the class of 2028 that they moved to campus on August 28. This group of first-years arrived on a classic Wellesley late-summer day––sun shining, bricks glowing, trees and lawns a bright, lush green. Enthusiastic RAs and orientation leaders waving welcome posters were on hand to greet them.
Many first-years had traveled far. One came all the way from Malvern, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, nearly 17,000 miles from Wellesley. Ava Daugherty ’28 drove from her hometown of Houston, a three-day journey, so that she could bring her favorite plants with her. Anna Osias ’28 spent 21 hours in the car with her family, driving from Memphis, Tenn., and dropping off her brother for his senior year at Sewanee on the way. Zoey Larson ’28, from Jacksonville, Fla., drove to Wellesley with their mom, breaking up the thousand-plus-mile drive with a stop at their grandparents’ house in North Carolina. “My first impression [arriving on campus] was just the feeling of home finally hitting me,” said Larson.
On move-in day, 585 first-years arrived from 43 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and 22 countries. Eighty are international students, and more than half speak a language other than English in their homes. Fifty-four percent of the class of 2028 are domestic students of color. Eighteen percent will be the first generation in their families to attend a four-year college, 55% of the class are receiving financial aid, and nearly 22% are Pell Grant recipients. (More demographic information about the class can be found here.)
Fun facts about the new red class: The top five states students call home are California, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, and New Jersey. The top five foreign countries of students’ citizenship are China, Canada, Hong Kong S.A.R., India, and Japan. Sixty-five individuals were recruited as student-athletes. The class includes three sets of twins, and the most common birthdays are September 29 and December 21, with seven students born on each of those days. Additionally, the most common names are all variations of the Greek word for wisdom—the class has nine Sophias, four Sofias, and three Sophies. Also arriving on campus on August 28 were three Elizabeth Kaiser Davis Scholars and 12 transfer students.
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President Paula Johnson (third from left) stopped by to speak to new students and their families as they moved into their residence halls. -
Orientation team members were on hand to help new students check in to their residence halls.
As the new students got settled, teary family members recorded well-wishes for an Instagram video, and the bookstore was packed with first-years buying Wellesley swag. The enthusiasm and optimism emanating from the members of the class of 2028 was contagious. Mia Nadal-Nevares ’28 said she couldn’t wait to start her classes and join some of Wellesley’s many clubs and organizations, in particular the College’s radio station, WZLY, and Wellesley’s Latine cultural organization, Mezcla. Leyla Ndiaye ’28 was looking forward to being part of Ethos. Larson wanted to get to know the campus: “In Florida, the differences between seasons are a lot less noticeable, so I’m excited to experience the little things, like leaves changing.”
First-years admitted to having some jitters, too. “I hope I am able to adapt quickly … and if not, reach out for help!” said Nadal-Nevares. “I am mainly nervous about stepping outside my comfort zone and trying new things, such as taking a class in a subject I lack background knowledge in,” added Colleen Heaslip ’28. “Although it’s daunting to put myself out there, I want to try hard to explore all that Wellesley offers.”
As all the Sophias, Sofias, and Sophies unpacked on Wednesday, President Paula Johnson drove around campus in a golf cart, visiting dorms floor by floor to greet first-years and their families. In her welcome remarks, Johnson said members of the class of 2028 “represent some of the most talented individuals anywhere [who] arrive on campus ready to learn, to grow, and to be part of building a community.” Wellesley’s newest students, she said, “bring a depth of ideas, perspectives, and experiences that is truly impressive.”
“Every student who comes to Wellesley belongs here and is an equal member of our community,” she said. “Each of you is remarkable, with your own individual strengths, talents, and yes, even, quirks—and we love that!”
The class of 2028 started diving into life on campus right away—literally. On the first night of orientation, the RAs gathered the first-years, singing and chanting dorm cheers, and encouraged them to jump into Lake Waban.
“It felt like we were all winding down to go to bed, and then all of a sudden it was like, oh, we’re gonna go outside and have fun and scream!” said Cazenove resident Sinead O’Sullivan ’28, who is from Chicago. Talia DePodesta ’28 laughed about the experience: “My roommate and I got a little over-ambitious because we thought the lake was a little closer [to our dorm, Stone-Davis], so we actually did the whole walk barefoot because we didn’t want to get our shoes wet.”
Gahan Sabbir ’28 said she loved seeing the dorm spirit and being part of this special first-year tradition. “They give you a penny, and you’re supposed to make a wish,” explained Sabbir, who is from Bangladesh, “and then you’re supposed to hold it under the water in the lake. If you’re able to hold on to it through the currents, it means good luck, and it means your wish will come true.”