By After a summer of anticipation, the newest 285 Carroll Saints officially began their college journey with freshman move-in and orientation week.
Residence halls buzzed with activity as students and families navigated busy hallways. Students and student athletes kept the process running smoothly, offering directions, unloading cars, and helping students carry everything from bedding to mini-fridges.
“Moving everyone in was filled with joy and excitement for all the new students,” said Esteban Mendez, a first-year football player from Salem, Oregon, majoring in nursing. “As a football player, we moved in early, so seeing the excitement of the freshmen moving in and being able to help them was a cool experience.”
For many students, move-in also meant stepping into a new sense of responsibility.
“Knowing I have a new sense of responsibility was intimidating at first,” said Anna Kate Sawfer, a freshman on the track team, studying nursing from Drummond, Montana. “But getting to know girls on my floor and figuring out my schedule didn’t take very long.
Orientation weekend included a variety of events designed to ease the transition into college life. Students met their peer mentors, toured campus, attended well-being and success meetings, and all met for their class photo to launch their Carroll adventure together.
“Freshman orientation was long, but it had a lot of useful information that you needed to know,” said Forrest Carter, a freshman football player, studying biochem from Olympia, Washington. “Seeing where classrooms were and meeting some of the teachers was also helpful.”
Each evening brought social opportunities for the first-year class. Sunday, students gathered on the Campus Center lawn for a welcome BBQ, Monday night cow tipping comedy improv, and to tie the orientation together, swing dance lessons and dance on the Trinity Hall lawn.
“It was so much fun and I got to meet a lot of nice people,” said Alli Devine, a freshman from Wasilla, Alaska, on the volleyball team studying accounting. “The campus atmosphere was amazing, and meeting new people while doing something fun like swing dancing was awesome.”
Parents were also part of the weekend, sharing a farewell meal at the student-parent barbecue before heading home.
Faculty and staff joined students at convocation, officially welcoming the Class of 2029 to Carroll’s academic community.
As the weekend came to a close, the first-year Saints stepped into their new roles as college students, eager to dive into classes, activities, and life at Carroll.
With friendships already forming and memories made, the Class of 2029 is prepared to make its mark on the Carroll community.
