SUNY Oneonta is buzzing with life once again, celebrating the arrival of more than 1,000 new students and the return of nearly 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students for the Fall 2026 semester.
On Wednesday and Thursday, a crew of staff and student volunteers in “Red’s Squad” T-shirts welcomed members of the Class of 2030, arriving in Oneonta from communities large and small across New York, the country and even the globe.
The Bronx sends the largest group of new students this year (60), followed by Brooklyn with 41 and New York City with 26. Schenectady, Albany, Liberty, Holbrook, Port Jefferson Station, Queensbury and Tarrytown are also among the most represented hometowns.
Most members of the incoming class are from New York state, including 161 students from Suffolk County and 121 from Nassau County. Others come from states including New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Massachusetts, Texas, Virginia, California, Florida, Tennessee and Vermont. The class also includes students from Cameroon, Ethiopia and Uganda, bringing perspectives from across the globe to the Oneonta community.
As new students moved in, volunteers directed traffic, answered questions, shared smiles and helped unload and carry belongings into residence hall rooms in Golding, Tobey, Littell, Wilber, Hulbert and other halls. Move-in continued Thursday, Friday and into the weekend for returning students.
Once settled into their new home, members of the Class of 2030 began getting acquainted with campus and each other during orientation. They connected with Dragon Guide peer mentors, attended lectures and fun events, learned where to find everything from academic tutoring to Starbucks, and got tips for success from faculty and staff.
Class of 2030 Fast Facts
- Most popular majors: Undeclared, Psychology, Business Administration, Early Childhood/Childhood Education and Biology
- Most common first names: Ryan, Ava, Emma, Madison, Jack and Sophia
- Top New York counties represented: Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Bronx, Orange, Albany, Kings, Otsego, Dutchess and Rockland
Campus Traditions
On Saturday, new first-year and transfer students officially joined the SUNY Oneonta community by participating in Academic Convocation and Pass Through the Pillars.
Designed to welcome new students into the scholarly community and give them a sense of belonging and unity, the Academic Convocation ceremony, held inside Alumni Field House, featured several speakers, performances by an alumni band and a special bell ringing using a bell from the university archives.
Angelita Manuel Cadiz-Morales, a Theatre major from Brooklyn, was selected to ring the bell on behalf of her classmates.
“It was kind of scary,” she said, “but I knew I had to do it just right, to really kick off the school year for the Class of 2030. It meant a lot to me for SUNY Oneonta to trust me with such a big tradition for its freshman class, and I was honored.”
Remarks were given by Vice President for Student Affairs Tracy Johnson, Presiding Officer of the Faculty Keith Jones, City of Oneonta Mayor Dan Butterman and University President Alberto Cardelle, who told students that their greatest power “is the power to show up—fully, intentionally, and ready to engage.”
“Every time you walk into class curious, step into a club meeting open to new friendships, or have a conversation, you’re using your superpower,” he said.
After Convocation, new students participated in the Pass Through the Pillars tradition, walking between the pillars of Old Main—the university’s first building—and into a welcoming, cheering crowd, signifying the beginning of their journey at Oneonta. They will pass back through in the opposite direction as seniors before commencement.
The academic semester officially kicked off Monday, Aug. 24, with the first day of classes and a celebratory campus-wide Opening Picnic near Milne Library.