They came from 41 states and 28 countries on six continents, from hometowns that include Alamo, Texas; Kailua, Hawaii; Homer, Ark.; and Sykeston, N.D.
Cars, SUVs, mini-vans, and airport shuttles were greeted by raucous singing and cheering Orientation leaders and President Steven Tepper in full Alexander Hamilton costume. The Class of 2029 arrived on College Hill on Aug. 19 to begin Orientation, embark on adventure trips, and matriculate into Hamilton.
Tepper told the assembled families, “This is my favorite day of the year — the excitement, the energy on the Hill” and described the packed arriving cars as having two scenarios. The first: “Windows down, everyone waving, excited, the students are all in. Group two: The parents are waving, excited, and the students are looking straight ahead. This is a place when you GET that much attention!”
Last year was Tepper’s first at Hamilton and his sign then reflected that: “I’m new here, too!” This year, his sign read “It’s a Doggie Dog world on the Hill, signed Lexi Pepper Tepper.” Tepper explained that Lexi Pepper Tepper is his family’s new puppy, who was named by Hamilton students. Lexi is in reference to Alexander Hamilton, of course.
President Steven Tepper welcomes incoming first year students. Photo: Nancy L. Ford
“When I was growing up, the expression ‘Dog eat dog world’ — which means it’s a very competitive world where dogs eat other dogs, a not very nice world — I heard as ‘Doggie dog world,’ tails wagging, sniffing, a great world to live in. Who wouldn’t want to live in a Doggie dog world?” Tepper asked.
“Hamilton is a doggie dog world. We work hard, but this is not a place where we measure ourselves on how well you compete with your fellow students. We measure ourselves by how you help your fellow students learn,” Tepper said. “We are kind, we are not judgmental, and for parents, there’s not a better place to learn than a place where you do not feel judged. You can say anything, you can think anything, and you will not be judged.”
The president told families that their students will get a glimpse of this culture over the next five days on their Orientation trips, with rigorously trained leaders. “You can be assured you’re in good hands. We got this; we know what we’re doing.”
After students and their families said their goodbyes, opening ceremonies commenced on Steuben Field. Members of the class met with their adventure trip leaders and groups to play rowdy games and enjoy bonding activities before preparing to set out on one of 56 orientation trips aimed at connecting them with their classmates and introducing them to the area.
Meet the Hamilton Class of 2029
Dean Of Admission John McLaughlin provided a profile of the Class of 2029:
8,904
applications
13.6
PERCENT
acceptance rate
55
PERCENT
receive financial aid
They were chosen from one of the largest and most selective applicant pools on record for Hamilton. About 13% of the nearly 9,000 applicants were admitted.
They hail from 41 states and from 28 countries on six continents.
International students represent an additional 8% of the first-year class. Collectively, they speak 42 unique languages.
81 are trailblazers because they are from the first generation in their family to attend college.
More than half of the members of the class are receiving financial aid from Hamilton, totaling $63 million this year.
For those who submitted testing, the middle 50% of score ranges were 1440-1510 on the SAT, and 33-34 on the ACT.
The most represented names are Elizabeth, Emma, Sophia, and Grace; and William, Ryan, Andrew, and Charles.
Orientation leaders welcome cars of new students as they drive up College Hill Road.
Joseph Nguyen ’29 gets help from his dad putting a shelf together in Major Residence Hall.
Harper Wallace ’29 and her mother, Jen, go through photos to hang in Harper's room in North Hall.
Joaquin Torrez ’29 and Jesse Smith ’29 relax after moving into Major Hall.
First-year students, with the help of family members, carry the treasures they acquired at the Cram & Scram sale.
Students and their family members gleefully make their way through the gauntlet of welcoming Orientation leaders.
Biology professor Mike McCormick, left, speaks with Justin Nasdor ’29 and his parents, Roz and Bob, during a meet and greet with faculty.
Diya Dhillon ’29, right, chats with Yin Zhang from the Office of Global Learning.
Juliana Abraham ’29, right, and her parents, Mili and Jaison, take a selfie before saying their goodbyes.
Orientation leaders hype up the Class of '29 during opening ceremonies on Steuben Field.
Hua Xing ’29 reacts after losing the game of Rock Paper Scissors to Champion Tatiana Konczyk ’29.
Organizing events ranging from on-campus scavenger hunts and merch drops, to excursions off-campus to apple orchards and Syracuse’s Destiny USA mall, the First-Year Experience (FYE) student leaders are experts in making all the “new” of college life exciting. FYE leaders support first-year students through the difficulties of transitioning to college by providing ample opportunities for socializing, destressing, and recharging. We asked Dana Blatte ’26, a FYE leader since fall 2024, to share her experience with the program.
Thirty-three trips into the wilderness, 68 student leaders, 287 student participants. Plus dozens of canoes, tents, sleeping bags, rain gear, pounds of cheese, and other essentials. The planning that goes into Hamilton’s Adirondack Adventure (AA) orientation program is extensive, and the process has run like a proverbial well-oiled machine for the past four decades thanks in large part to Director of Outdoor Leadership Andrew Jillings, who came on board in 1997 to expand the program from a modest six trips.
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