New MC academic year begins with Move-In Day, Convocation ceremony and more
Aug. 14, 2024
Summers on College Hill are sedate affairs, as the residence halls and academic buildings of Maryville College quietly await the return of students for a new academic year.
This week, that wait comes to an end, as more than 350 new full-time students arrive on campus starting at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 16. Move-In Day for new Scots is the finish line of a personalized enrollment process at Maryville College and when the 2024-25 academic year begin in earnest, although some student cohorts have been on campus for several weeks: The Scots Science Scholars will wrap a two-week learning experience on the day that new first-years arrive, and student-athletes returned to campus and its associated fields and courts over the past week.
However, there’s nothing like the arrival of a new class of Scots, said Maryville College President Dr. Bryan F. Coker.
“As we begin the College’s 205th year, we’re excited to welcome another robust class of new students, as they begin their respective educational journeys with us,” Coker said.
According to Dr. Alayne Bowman, vice president of Admissions and Financial Aid, the number of new students who make up the incoming Class of 2028 includes first-year and transfer students, as well as 135 dual enrollment students, a larger-than-expected number given the financial headaches caused by the federal rollout of the new FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) last fall. Admissions team members coordinated with parents of potential Scots to come up with a personalized enrollment process that gave MC an advantage over other similar-sized institutions, and that success is reflected in the number of applications and deposits from potential students early on in the admissions process.
“We’re incredibly fortunate to serve this new generation of Scots, and the opportunity to do so is a direct reflection of all of the hard work carried out by our folks in Admissions and Financial Aid,” Bowman said. “There were a lot of concerned parents and a lot of worried students trying to navigate the FAFSA slowdown, but our enrollment and financial aid counselors worked diligently to make sure that every student who wanted an education at Maryville College had the ability to be a part of this incoming class.”
This year’s incoming first-year class is made up of 38% first-generation students, meaning they’re the first in their immediate families to pursue higher education, and 31.5% students of color, an increase of more than 5% over the Class of 2027. That diversity, said Kelly Massenzo — director of undergraduate admissions — is a sign of healthy academic programs, athletic teams and student involvement opportunities.
“At Maryville College, we work hard to make sure everything about a student’s enrollment personalized in a way that will reward them both academically and personally,” Massenzo said. “There are so many factors that make Maryville College such a great decision — from our proximity to and work in the Smokies to our strategic partnerships to our nationally recognized academic standards — but we don’t ever take for granted their decisions to come to Maryville College. From the moment they apply to the Saturday afternoon in early May when they get their diplomas, we want our students to feel valued and supported.”
That support begins on Move-In Day, as volunteers from across campus departments, divisions and offices will make themselves available to answer questions, move furniture and welcome first-year students to MC from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At 4 p.m., all first-year students and their family members will check in at the Clayton Center for the Arts, where the New Scots Orientation officially kicks off with remarks from Coker in the Ronald and Lynda Nutt Theatre. From 5-7 p.m. Friday evening, the new students and their families will be treated to a welcome cookout on the lawn in front of Pearsons Hall, followed by a 7 p.m. meeting in the Clayton Center for all first-year students, who will then be connected to their orientation leaders and receive instructions about campus life resources and policy.
Activities for first-years continue through the weekend, and on Tuesday, Aug. 20, the annual Covenant Stone ceremony will take place at 5 p.m. in Humphreys Court, between Fayerweather and Anderson Halls. Following remarks from Coker and others, students will affirm their dedication to the MC Covenant and its ideals: scholarship, respect and integrity. Classes will begin the following day, and at 11:15 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, the annual Convocation ceremony will take place in the Ronald and Lynda Nutt Theatre of the Clayton Center for Arts. (Although not open to the public, it will be livestreamed and can be viewed on the Maryville College website and Facebook page.)
In addition to additional remarks by Coker, Dr. Liz Perry-Sizemore, who began her appointment as vice president and dean of the College on July 1, will deliver the traditional Declaration of the Academic Year.
“I have something in common with our new students in that I, too, am starting my first year at Maryville College,” Perry-Sizemore said. “From the moment I arrived on campus on July 1, I have felt valued, encouraged, and supported by faculty, staff and students. I am confident that our new students will experience the same from this community, and as a consequence will grow and thrive both in and out of the classroom.”
“These are challenging days for many small colleges; however, we continue to defy the odds at Maryville, with another large entering class of new students this year,” Coker added. “It’s both flattering and reassuring that the educational experiences we offer remain in high demand, and we look forward to seeing the difference that these students will make on our campus and in the remarkable region of which we are part.”
