Southern Connecticut State University officially welcomed the Class of 2030 to campus on August 24 during New Student Convocation, marking the beginning of a new academic year and a new chapter for the university’s newest Owls.
New Owl Welcome brought the university’s newest students together ahead of the first day of classes, building on a summer of orientation programs and giving students a chance to settle into campus life, meet their classmates, and experience what it means to be an Owl.
Home Sweet Southern
The weekend began with Move-In Day, as more than 730 new residential students arrived on campus with help from more than 200 student employees and volunteers. Across Southern, families unloaded cars, students moved into their residence halls and the campus came back to life for the start of a new academic year.
New Owl Welcome continued throughout the weekend with programs designed to help students make connections, learn about campus resources and prepare for their first semester.
The celebration culminated Monday, August 24, with New Student Convocation, Southern’s traditional formal welcome to its newest students.
“You are here. You are officially college students. You are truly Owls,” Interim President Sandra Bulmer told the incoming class.
Bulmer reminded students that choosing Southern represents more than choosing a campus or a major. It means becoming part of a community and contributing to it.
“When you were accepted to Southern, we didn’t just choose you. You also chose us,” Bulmer said. “And I want to remind you today that you chose well.”
Throughout her remarks, Bulmer encouraged students to meet new people, ask for help when they need it, embrace the Southern spirit and, perhaps most importantly, “show up” — for class, for their friends, and for the opportunities around them.
Advice from Fellow Owls
Senior Class President Hailey DeNucci, ’27, welcomed the Class of 2030 from the perspective of someone who had once been in their seats.
“I know that there will always be someone in my corner here, and that is so reassuring when starting somewhere new,” DeNucci said, reflecting on the relationships she has built with students and faculty while pursuing her nursing degree and participating in the Honors College.
She encouraged new students to take advantage of life beyond the classroom, from athletics and student organizations to campus jobs and volunteer opportunities. Southern offers more than 250 student clubs, she noted, providing students with opportunities to meet others and develop skills that will serve them throughout their careers.
Alumna Joy Osahon, ’10, M.A. ’13, also returned to Southern to share lessons from her own college experience. A former student-athlete and campus leader, Osahon challenged students to think of themselves as “CEOs in training” and Southern as the place where they can begin developing the skills needed for their futures.
“Southern is your training ground to develop those skills because this campus provides opportunities to mature in and out of the classroom through on-campus jobs, volunteering opportunities, school programming, and countless other resources,” Osahon said.
She also emphasized that making the most of those opportunities will require both hard work and discipline, encouraging students to attend class, seek academic support, and participate in campus life even when doing so is difficult.
A Southern Tradition Continues
Following Convocation, the Class of 2030 continued one of Southern’s traditions by walking through Founders Gate and onto the Academic Quad, where food and festivities brought students, faculty, and staff together to celebrate the start of the academic year.
For the newest Owls, the walk marked the culmination of New Owl Welcome — and the beginning of a Southern experience that will unfold through classrooms, friendships, organizations, research, athletics, internships, and opportunities they have yet to discover.
“You have an extraordinary opportunity in front of you,” Bulmer told the class. “Out of an infinite number of possibilities, this is the path you chose.”
Her closing challenge was simple:
“You chose Southern. Now make Southern yours.”
View the Move-In Day gallery
View the New Owl Welcome gallery
View the New Student Convocation and Barbecue gallery
