2024-25 Academic Year Opens

10/01/2024

Muskingum University's annual Welcome Weekend greeted new and returning students and opened the 2024-2025 academic year. More than 1,500 full- and part-time undergraduates and nearly 250 graduate students are enrolled for the Fall 2024 semester.

On Friday, Aug. 23, Move-In Day for new students started bright and early. In the afternoon, the year formally began with Opening Convocation, where Muskingum Trustee Ruth Wasem '76 addressed the incoming Class of 2028. She encouraged them to find their way to success at Muskingum. "Use your head to gain knowledge, your heart to be kind and compassionate to others and to yourself, and your spirit and energy to be fully involved in positive ways in the life of the college," she said.

Currently a Senior Fellow at the Levin College of Public Affairs and Education of Cleveland State University (Cleveland, Ohio), a Fellow in Immigration at the Bipartisan Policy Center (Washington, D.C.), and a member of the Leadership Council of the Center for Global Migration Studies at the University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland), Dr. Wasem was previously Professor of Policy Practice at the University of Texas at Austin's Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and served as an immigration policy specialist for the U.S. Library of Congress' Congressional Research Service.

Following the Class of 2028 photo, the new students broke into teams, decorating a flag for their group and competing in Bouncy Boxing, Bungee Run, and an Obstacle Course on the Quad. Dinner, succulent planting, and Wii Olympics in the Chess Center capped the evening.

On Saturday, students and their floormates visited different stations to learn more about life at Muskingum, rejoined their competition group for more games on the East Lawn, cooled off with a slip 'n slide on Patton Hill, made custom street signs, celebrated their competition wins in an Olympic Village, and played Pitch Perfect Bingo.

Sunday afternoon brought fishing and floating on the pond and preparing for classes to begin on Monday.

To celebrate completing the first week of classes, Muskie Fest on the Quad filled the evening of Friday, Aug. 30 with inflatables, yard games, and snow cones. Dinner was in the atrium of the Steele Center, where commuter students without meal plans were welcomed as guests.

On Saturday, Aug. 31, the Friends of New Concord hosted the second annual New Concord Community Day. The daylong Vendor's Village and Kids Corner brought students and area residents together, and Muskies filled the Village during the afternoon as they explored local businesses during the Shop Walk. The evening Party in Park hosted axe throwing, yard games, food trucks, and live music.

On Monday, Sept. 2, the campus community enjoyed free ice cream on the Quad from the Kent's Kones food truck, courtesy of President Hasseler.

Finally, the annual Involvement Fair on Sept. 3 gave new Muskies the chance to learn about the wide range of student organizations and activities.

Have a great year, Muskies!