Record numbers, bright futures: Rowan welcomes the Class of 2030

More than 6,200 students moved into Rowan University residence halls during Welcome Week, including hundreds of first-year students settling into Holly Pointe Commons, the University's largest residence hall.

President Ali A. Houshmand joined Provost Voki Pophristic, Dean of Students Kevin Koett and dozens of faculty, staff and student volunteers on move-in day to welcome students and their families to a new academic year.

"Rowan's present is bright and beautiful, and the future is going to be even better," Houshmand said amid the din of rolling carts. "Rowan has increasingly become more and more of a prestigious university. More and more people are seeing it as their number-one choice."

Rowan's incoming class of nearly 4,000 first-year students is among the largest in the University's history, while overall fall enrollment is expected to reach approximately 22,000 students—on track to match the 2025–2026 full academic year enrollment of approximately 25,000 students. That total, unduplicated headcount includes new students who will arrive at Rowan in the spring and through Rowan Online. According to Barry Hendler, assistant dean of Residential Learning & University Housing, 6,221 students moved into on-campus housing throughout the week.

A fresh start

For many new Profs, move-in day marked the beginning of a new chapter.

Chase Dillenbeck, a business major from Mount Laurel, said he chose Rowan because it offered the atmosphere he was looking for close to home.

"It's a good school, and I wanted to go to a bigger university," Dillenbeck said after piling his belongings into a nearby volunteer’s cart. When asked if he had anything to say to his family before they head home: "I'm going to make them proud."

Ezekiel Gregory, a translational biomedical engineering and sciences major from Austin, Texas, traveled more than 1,500 miles to attend Rowan.

"I wanted to explore the world and see what other states have to offer," Gregory said. "Holly Pointe Commons is gorgeous. The buildings at Rowan are really beautiful, and I like how everything's surrounded by trees."

Another student who traveled far—but not quite as far— was civil engineering major Christopher Tuttolomondo. Hailing from Long Valley in Warren County, he said he was excited by the independence college life offers and impressed by the move-in experience.

"The whole process has been really organized," he said.

Ready to thrive

After moving into their residence halls, students enjoyed many Welcome Week activities including visits to the Game Room, First Night Fest, Student Success Fair, late-night breakfast, academic presentations, Student Organization and Sports Club Fair, and classroom finding tours.

Led by current students and Student Life staff, Welcome Week events are designed to prepare new students for the year to come. Programming focuses on building camaraderie, introducing campus resources, finding ways to get involved and encouraging school spirit.

Passing the torch

The President’s Welcome Parade & Picnic concluded the week’s festivities as the Pride of the Profs Marching Band led first-year students—clad in t-shirts identifying their residence hall or commuter status—from locations across campus to the University Green. Rowan cheerleaders, dance team members, student leaders and University administrators applauded the Class of 2030 as they passed through the Rowan arch.

During the brief ceremony, Houshmand gave his first official welcome to the students.

“I want you to have fun and enjoy your new home,” Houshmand said, addressing a crowd of about 1,200 students at the celebration. “Stay safe and please act responsibly.”

With a focus on Rowan traditions, Koett explained that Welcome Week is part of Rowan’s many annual events along with Homecoming, Family Weekend, Holiday Helper Auction, Day of Giving and Hollybash. The event ended with one of the University’s oldest traditions: the passing of Rowan’s Torch of Knowledge from the upperclassmen to the newest class.

Student Government Association President Ali Ishage, a junior general studies major from Jersey City, led the parade carrying the torch and ceremonially passed it to Class of 2030 representative James Spiegel.

“It felt like such a big moment for me,” said Spiegel, a health and physical education major from Newark, N.J. “When I got that torch, I felt more adapted to the University’s culture. I’ve never had anything big like that happen to me.”

Classes for the 2026-27 academic year started September 1.