Barnard College welcomed more than 800 new first-year and transfer students through its main gates on Broadway, signaling the beginning of a journey that will challenge them intellectually, foster their curiosity, and equip them with a wide range of life skills to become future women leaders.
Addressing the newest members of the Barnard community at The Riverside Church, President Laura Ann Rosenbury commended the Class of 2030 for their impressive achievements and officially marked the beginning of the academic year.
“Today, you become the newest members of a community shaped by generations of Barnard women who arrived on campus still discovering their place in the world and left us ready to make their mark. That legacy is now yours. And we are here to support you,” said President Rosenbury.
“Barnard is a small college by design. You will come to know our campus, your classmates, and your professors in a way that is simply not possible in other places. You will find friends who grow and change alongside you. You will find your community."
Faculty, staff, trustees, and loved ones filled the pews to celebrate the milestone. Here was the next generation of Barnard women — a group of leaders, innovators, artists, scientists, and change-makers. At Barnard, they will gain invaluable knowledge from world-class faculty across disciplines, building an intellectual foundation that will serve them for life.
Barnard Provost and Dean of the Faculty Rebecca L. Walkowitz urged students to balance the rush of new information with slow, deliberate thought — creating room for “the social experience of learning, which involves listening, dialogue, knowing your mind, and changing your mind.”
“It requires some patience and some perseverance to think slowly on purpose,” Walkowitz told the rows of future alumnae. “That too is part of what you’ll learn from us and from each other.”
Jennifer Fondiller ’88, Vice President for Enrollment and External Affairs, spoke to students about what it took to bring together the new class. More than 800 first-year and transfer students were meticulously selected from over 12,000 applicants. The Class will help define what it means to be a Barnard woman, coming to Morningside Heights from across the U.S. and all around the world.
“The admissions and student financial services staff spent the better part of two years working with you, emailing with you, Zooming with you, and meeting you all around the country and the world so that you could learn about Barnard,” said Fondiller. “What a thrill it was earlier today and in the last week watching you move in.”
The Class of 2030 represents 46 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, as well as 31 different countries. Students speak 60 different languages, and 15% hold international citizenship. 20% are the first in their families to attend a four-year college. Also joining campus for the first time this semester are 149 transfer students, hailing from 20 states and Washington D.C., with interests spread across nearly 26 different major areas. Their backgrounds range far and wide, each bringing with them a singular story to tell.
“My Barnard journey so far has been nothing but growth and self-discovery,” said Angelina Ramirez ’30, who plans to major in neuroscience and pursue a career in medicine. “I was really worried starting my transition into college about if people would like me, or if I could be the type of person that belongs at Barnard, but when I got here I realized that there is no ‘type’ of Barnard girl. We all belong here and bring our own unique perspective and viewpoint to the table.”
Some first-years, like Ramirez, began their Barnard experience over the summer. Thirty-one arrived in Morningside Heights in August as part of the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP) and the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), both New York State-funded initiatives. HEOP promotes higher education access for students who are economically disadvantaged, while CSTEP supports students looking towards professional licensure or careers in STEM.
“After getting accepted to Barnard College and its CSTEP program, I have spent the past three weeks in an environment filled with support, curiosity, and kindness,” said Maggie Tung ’30, who would like to major in biology. “Every day I spend at Barnard is a reminder that I am attending a college filled with vibrant and inspiring women.”
For hopeful STEM majors like Ramirez and Tung — and the entire Barnard community — the fall semester coincides with the opening of the Roy and Diana Vagelos Science Center, a state-of-the-art building for research and learning. The Class of 2030 has the special privilege of being the first to enjoy access to the RDSC throughout all four years of their college education, from introductory courses that fulfill the Foundations requirement to small, specialized labs.
Before the Class came together for Convocation, the day was filled with moments for students to get to know campus alongside their loved ones. From the Diana Center, President Rosenbury extended a warm welcome to families. Peer Orientation Leaders gathered small groups of students, introducing classmates and friends to one another for the first time. In the afternoon, the Class of 2030 huddled together at Futter Field for the annual class photo, capturing an unforgettable moment in time — one brimming with possibilities.
“We are so excited. Not just for her, but for us,” said Sean Ball P’30, who traveled from Florida to New York to move his daughter, Rachel, into her residence hall. “This is a wonderful college. This is a great environment. And I think the opportunities that she's going to get here are going to be amazing for her — the internships, the extracurriculars she can get involved in. I think she's going to make the most of it.”
As the bittersweet hours of move-in came to a close, families offered parting words of advice to their newly minted college students. “Remember to take up space,” Carla Taylor-Pla P’30 told her daughter, Olivia. “The world is yours. And enjoy every day. You are all the best and the brightest.”
Olivia’s father, Raymond, chimed in with his own words of wisdom: “Change can be scary, but remember: that’s how a caterpillar grows.”
At Convocation, students raised candles to symbolize the light of each of their individual journeys and the strength of the Barnard community shining together. Members of the College’s faculty addressed the class, including Jozefina Chetko, winner of the Emily Gregory Award — Barnard’s only student-nominated and selected teaching award — who is also the Lida Orzeck ’68 Distinguished Artist-in-Residence for 2025-2026 and 2026-2027.
Vice President for Inclusion and Belonging and Interim Dean of the College Akilah Rosado introduced an idea to the crowd of new students — “belonging by design” — emboldening students to take an active role in that design.
“The sidewalk you stand on was built by people who came before you, and it has gaps in it. You will find those imperfections faster than we will,” Rosado said. “When you do, please come and tell us. And where you can, pick up that bag of cement.”
As President Rosenbury reminded the Class of 2030, the coming weeks and months are bound to be filled with firsts. The first time living in a residence hall. The first time taking the subway. The first time learning a particular subject, or being asked to engage across differences. For families and students alike, it will be a period of both immense transition and undeniable growth.
“Plant your feet on the ground, hold yourself steady, and take a couple deep breaths,” said Sania Hammad ’27, President of Barnard’s Student Government Association. “Whatever you’re feeling today is normal — whether it’s scared, elated, homesick, excited, or something completely different. It’s so easy to be consumed by imposter syndrome, but take my word for it when I say that you belong here. You are capable and ready. You are here for a reason.”