Posted on Thursday, August 28, 2025
The energy on Westminster College’s campus is back in full force as students arrived to kick off a new academic year.
On Thursday, Aug. 21, 367 new Titans arrived on campus and received a warm Westminster welcome at Opening Convocation in Orr Auditorium. The ceremony marked the official start of the 2025-2026 academic year and featured greetings from President Dr. Kathy Brittain Richardson, new Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Dr. Jamie Frueh, Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics Dr. John Bonomo and Student Government Association President Elliott Wentzel, a senior biology major from Houston, Pa.
This year’s incoming class is made up of 333 first-year students, 33 transfer students—representing 20 states—and one international student from Taiwan. Biology, nursing, business administration, education and sports management represent the most popular majors for Westminster’s Class of 2029 students. The group brings an impressive average GPA of 3.62, and nearly half will compete as Titan student-athletes.
After convocation and student-parent farewells, new students launched into a four-day orientation packed with workshops, community-building exercises and Titan spirit events. That energy carried into Welcome Week, where both new and returning students joined in activities ranging from a job fair and involvement fair to game nights, yoga, giveaways and even a visit from therapy dogs.
Upperclass students returned to campus on Saturday, Aug. 24, and classes for all students began on Monday, Aug. 26. The semester runs through Dec. 5, with fall break scheduled for Oct. 11–14.
