Welcome Weekend 2024 Marked by New Beginnings, Great Advice and Sun-soaked Fun on Campus

You've heard the old adage about weather in Spokane – if you don’t like it, wait 10 minutes and it will change.

The weather changes didn’t come quite that quickly on Move-In Day Aug. 23, but the flurry of activity that filled the early morning unloading of cars and decorating of rooms, and the midday Zagfest filling Herak Quad, did give way to a dramatic storm by early evening. With the wind howling and the temperature dropping, the Zag Picnic welcoming new students and their families to campus zigged indoors.

That minor meteorological blip hardly spoiled the fun, as the energy among the new Zags inside Hemmingson Center for dinner was palpable. Nor did it spoil the festivities as the sun was back in full force for the remainder of a Welcome Weekend that had campus buzzing as new Zags met their roommates, attended academic open houses, made new friends at Saturday night’s Mulligan Field Playfair and lounged on Foley Lawn for a movie night Sunday.

Tim White, parent to first-year computer science major Tom, basked in the good vibes. The Whites traveled from Lutz, Florida, after Tom fell in love with the campus on a visit last year. The way dad Tim praised Gonzaga’s admissions team, website and communication with him as a parent, it almost sounded like he was ready to join Tim at GU.

“I was really impressed with the tour, the professionalism of the team, the grounds, everything!” Tim White said, noting that he has no worries about leaving his son so far from their Florida home. “He’s a resilient kid who makes friends really easily.”

 

The transition to college isn’t easy for everyone, and one of the overarching themes of Welcome Weekend was the care that Zags show for each other. That was clear through the number of employees helping lug refrigerators and boxes into residence halls, through the presence of alumni helping answer questions from new GU parents and students, and through the messages our new Zags heard at the August 26 Academic Convocation.

Interim Provost Mia Bertagnolli welcomed students to convocation by assuring them that, while they might be nervous, “I know you’ve got this,” reminding them of the trepidation they might have felt as high school freshmen.

 

"At some point,” Bertagnolli said, “things got easier, and before you knew it, you were juggling school and lots of extracurricular activities, and you had friends and teachers and family who supported you and your many achievements. Even in high school, you had the courage to push through hard times, the faith that things would work out, and strong support networks. Those gifts, and many others that you have yet to discover, are still with you, and you will not walk this journey alone.”

Senior math major Makena Thatcher shared the twists and turns of her academic path at Gonzaga, one that took her through several majors before ultimately landing in the right spot thanks to the inspiration of a special teacher and a realization that she wanted to pass on her passion working as a teacher after graduation.

 

Kent Porterfield, vice provost for Student Affairs, told the incoming students he wanted them to “have a love affair with learning,” and Associate Professor Noralis Rodriguez-Coss, welcoming the students on behalf of faculty, talked about her journey as a first-generation college student from a working-class background. She encouraged the new Zags to enjoy a full life outside the classroom as well as in class, find mentors and, most importantly, “if you have questions, ask them.”

"Learning to use your voice is fundamental to this transformational process,” Rodriguez-Coss said. “Use your voice, ask those questions.”

 

A Snapshot of the Class of 2028

Gonzaga is welcoming 1,260 first-year students and 124 transfer students this fall, according to Steve Keller, senior director of Undergraduate Admission, although official enrollment won’t be finalized for a few weeks. The incoming class of 2028 is the most racially, ethnically and culturally diverse in Gonzaga’s history, with 35 percent of the class self-identifying as BIPOC students.

The new students come from 35 states, several tribal nations, and 21 countries including Australia, China, El Salvador, Finland, Kenya, Libya, Mexico, South Africa, Ukraine, Vietnam and Venezuela. They also represent 26 religions or faiths.

Leadership Personified

• 11 former student body presidents
• 63 class presidents
• 209 student government officers

Caring for Others

• 877 with volunteering experience

Bound for the Stage

• 144 involved in theater and dance

Earth friendly

• 91 involved in ecology and sustainability clubs

Ready for a Game

• 755 involved in athletics or intramurals

A Way with Words

• 50 involved in speech and debate in high school

Worker Bees

• 741 had jobs in high school