W&J Welcomes More Than 400 New Presidents in Matriculation Ceremony

Created: August 31, 2015  |  Last Updated: July 9, 2020  |  Category:   |  Tagged:

WASHINGTON, PA (Aug. 26, 2015) — Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) welcomed 417 members of the Class of 2019 to campus in a Matriculation ceremony Sept. 2.

The ceremony, open to families and friends of incoming students, as well as members of the W&J community, officially welcomes the incoming Class of 2019, transfer students and international students to W&J.

“This class is one of the largest and most talented in the College’s 234-year history,” said Robert Gould, vice president for enrollment. “We are thrilled to welcome them officially as Presidents with this ceremony, and we are excited to see what these students will accomplish during their time at W&J.”

W&J President Tori Haring-Smith, Ph.D. addressed the Class of 2019 during the ceremony, as did Gould, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty John Zimmerman, Ph.D., Vice President and Dean of Student Life Eva Chatterjee-Sutton, and Student Government Association (SGA) President Natalie Gill ’16. In keeping with tradition, incoming students signed the College’s mission statement during the ceremony, and then walked across the W&J seal in the floor of the Old Main lobby, thus signifying their official status as W&J Presidents.

Matriculation brought 402 freshmen and 15 transfer students into the College. Members of the new class of Presidents arrived from across the United States, representing 22 states and Washington, D.C.

The class also brings a notable increase in the number of international students on campus, arriving both as full-time, incoming freshmen, and as students of the College’s English Language Institute, now in its third year. W&J’s international students represent more than 10 countries, including Jordan, China, Egypt, India and Vietnam, among others.

About Washington & Jefferson College

Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pa., is a selective liberal arts college founded in 1781. Committed to providing each of its students with the highest-quality undergraduate education available, W&J offers a traditional arts and sciences curriculum emphasizing interdisciplinary study and independent study work. For more information about W&J, visit washjeff.dev, or call 888-W-AND-JAY.

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