St. Bonaventure University will officially welcome the Class of 2025 into the Bonaventure family during Welcome Days 2021 this week.

On Friday, Aug. 27, freshmen will move into their residence halls before the 8:30 p.m. Candlelight Ceremony for students and parents on the steps of Plassmann Hall. A block party will follow.

“The Class of 2025 got a sample of what St. Bonaventure has to offer them during our summer orientation programs – hearing about what makes this community so great and why faculty, staff, current students, and alumni call this university home. During Welcome Days, our incoming class will officially become Bonnies upon the conclusion of Friday night’s Candlelight Ceremony and see for themselves why Bona’s is so special,” said Dahron Wells, assistant director of the Student Success Center.

On Saturday, Aug. 28, new students will attend various presentations and activities to help them prepare for the transition to college life. Opening speaker Linnita Hosten will provide the students with insight on what being a first-year student entails and how to navigate the experience. Students will learn how to draft a roadmap for a successful first year; identify valuable on-campus resources and opportunities; and make a clear connection between their experience, degree attainment, and future career success.

The students will also have a chance to get to know one another during an evening of social events and entertainment, including a game show, hypnotist, movie and a bonfire.

Students will attend workshops and programs Sunday, Aug. 29, to learn more about student life on campus. Orientation for transfer students will also be held Sunday. The day will end with Opening Mass at 5 p.m. in the William C. Foster ’62 Memorial Courtyard at Doyle Hall.

“The events occurring throughout the weekend are designed to introduce our first-year students to their new home, prepare them for the start of classes, and allow them to connect with their entire class. I hope that all members of the SBU community join me in welcoming the newest additions to the Bona family,” Wells said.

The university’s upperclassmen will begin arriving Saturday. Fall semester classes begin Monday, Aug. 30.

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About the University: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure University is a community committed to transforming the lives of our students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a lifelong commitment to service and citizenship. In 2020, St. Bonaventure was named the #2 regional university value in New York and #3 in the North by U.S. News and World Report.