New academic year, record number of students

With the new academic year now underway, Rowan University is celebrating a series of milestones, including the biggest first-year class in its history and the opening of the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medine (SSVM), a first for New Jersey.

Though enrollment figures are not official until mid-September, Rowan this fall welcomed an estimated 3,400 students into its Class of 2029. The class was drawn from some 26,000 traditional undergraduate applications, the largest applicant pool in school history, with queries from all 50 states and 118 countries.

On Wednesday, Aug. 27, the University began Welcome Week with move-in at first-year residence halls across campus.

(See more Welcome Week photos on Facebook)

At Holly Pointe Commons, the University's largest and newest residence hall, incoming students, their parents, friends and siblings filled shopping carriages with all manner of move-in essentials, from clothes and hampers to plastic hangars, pillows, décor and snacks, and wheeled them in.

Kiriam Alvarez of Galloway Township said she couldn't help but be emotional as she helped her daughter, nursing student Jarelis, move into Holly Pointe.

"She's first gen, so we're pretty excited," Alvarez said. "I'm proud but my emotions are mixed."

Dozens of Rowan staff, students and administrators assisted with the move-in.

"I love helping out," said Shaniya Bates, a senior elementary education major from Camden. "I'm also part of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., so I'm used to volunteering."

Along with this year's move-in celebration, Rowan held its first stethoscope ceremony Aug. 28 for SSVM, a traditional milestone symbolizing both the start of students' doctoral education and a commitment to patient care.

President's Welcome & Picnic

The move-in celebration continued Monday, Sept. 1, during the annual President's Welcome and Picnic on University Green.

Led by the Pride of the Profs marching band, first year and transfer students paraded across campus to hear from President Ali Houshmand, Dean of Students Kevin Koett and others ahead of a Labor Day feast.

"I'm delighted you're here," Houshmand called from a stage set up for the event. "I love you all and welcome you to Rowan."

The brief program included another Rowan tradition, the passing of the Torch of Knowledge from Student Government Association President Hope Campbell to Class of 2029 representative Dante Guest.

Guest, who served for four years in the Army - attaining the rank of sergeant - before enrolling in college, is a double major in the Rohrer College of Business where he's pursing degrees in accounting and entrepreneurship.

Also enrolled in ROTC, Guest said he's considering a career in the military or in starting his own accounting firm. Either way, he said, serving in the Army served him well.

"It prepared me a lot, and gave me the discipline to focus on school," Guest said.