By Brenna McGuire
Four weeks into the new academic year at Susquehanna University, and it seems that everyone has been finding their footing. The freshman class contains a total of 537 students, reigning from nineteen states, seventeen different countries, and six continents. 28% of these students are also first-generation, meaning they are the first members of their families to attend a four-year college.
While these statistics seem large, the Class of 2030 is actually one of the smallest freshmen classes in recent Susquehanna University history. Deana Lesher, a student from the Class of 2030, believes that this is notable because of the extensive number of activities available on campus as well as the environment. She says that when she first visited campus she “knew it was somewhere [she] wanted to be” and could see herself “walking around this campus” unlike any of the other schools she had visited. Lesher attended specifically because of the tight-knit community and the great education she could see herself receiving at Susquehanna University. Because of these reasons, she fell in love with the school, so she finds it odd that this year’s class ended up being so small.
Some students chose to attend Susquehanna University because of their academic or athletic programs. Others enrolled because of their financial aid package, allowing them to attend at an easier cost. I personally attended for a combination of those two reasons. After a visit last fall, I fell in love with the creative writing program, and because of my aid, I was given the opportunity to study here.
Lesher theorizes that this change will impact campus in a positive light because students will have a better chance of interacting with each other and have more personal time with professors.
Despite this oddity, this year’s freshman class is sure to be a strong one. They’ve already taken the time to establish themselves, whether that be through sports, extracurriculars, or first year events in general. With the financial, academic, and opportunistic circumstances the class has started out with, they are already certain to succeed. Congratulations, Class of 2030, I can’t wait to see where these four years take us.