UAlbany Welcomes New Great Danes for Fall 2021 Semester

ALBANY, N.Y. (Aug. 23, 2021) – The University at Albany officially welcomed more than 5,700 new Great Danes to campus with a return to its traditional Opening Convocation and Candlelighting Ceremony.

More than 3,000 first-year students, from 21,000-plus applicants, are joining UAlbany’s Class of 2025 – the largest incoming class in University history. Approximately 1,200 transfer students and 1,520 graduate students are also joining the campus community this fall.

The Class of 2025 is also the most diverse in University history, with 58 percent of freshmen identifying as coming from an ethnically diverse background and 43.2 percent from underrepresented minorities. A record 280 students are joining the University’s Honors College and 358 are Presidential Scholars.  

Students in the Class of 2025 come from 28 states and 31 countries. They boast an overall high school average of 90.4 percent.

Last week, the new Great Danes moved into their residence halls and campus apartments and were invited to join the Candlelighting Ceremony on Friday. The evening included addresses from Vice President for Student Affairs Michael Christakis, Dean for Undergraduate Education JoAnne Malatesta, Student Association President Abdoullah Goudiaby and Student Association Vice President Mya Williams. It concluded with a ceremonial lighting of the University Torch and class photo at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium. 

Following a Saturday night dance party on the lawn of the Science Library, new students joined together once again on Sunday for Opening Convocation and the President’s picnic. Students and their families from both the Class of 2024 and 2025 were invited to attend the ceremony.

While Commencement marks the completion of study, Opening Convocation celebrates a student's entry into higher education. The roughly 30-minute ceremony included a welcome from Christakis and remarks from Malatesta, Associate Professor of Sociology and 2021 Torch Award recipient Samantha Freidman, UAlbany student Robyn Murray and Provost Carol Kim.

President Rodríguez concluded the ceremony by encouraging students to be the authors of their own success.

“If you think of your UAlbany journey as a book, today is the beginning of the first chapter,” Rodríguez said. “This is a great metaphor because a key part of our mission is literally to support you to become the authors of your own success.”

“You are a special generation of young adults, students who have already been through significant challenges over the past 18 months. I promise you that the experiences you have gone through will serve you well – they will make you stronger and more resilient,” he added.

As UAlbany looks forward to a more regular campus environment this fall, abiding by protocols and requirements will ensure all community members’ health and safety – and also bring back, and maintain, the vibrancy we’ve all missed this past year and a half.

A number of COVID-19 safety measures remain in place on campus to ensure a successful semester.