By Samantha Hilyer, Editor-in-Chief
To all the alumni who are present on campus for homecoming: welcome home. No matter how much time you spend away from Saint Vincent, returning to this campus may feel like a wave of memories. Memories of these grounds, memories of professors who became colleagues and friends, and memories of shared laughs and inside jokes with fellow students. Saint Vincent has made many changes during the past few years to the grounds and the staff, and new students continue to replace those who have graduated. But these changes do not distort the sense that returning to Saint Vincent is like coming home.
Saint Vincent has been undergoing construction in a broader sense than just the cafeteria or the soon-to-be fountain outside of Placid Hall. The core curriculum has been altered, the art gallery in the library continuously showcases new pieces, and a new volleyball court has debuted outside of Benedict Hall. All of these changes have impacted the campus for the better, including a new tradition for freshmen move-in day. This semester, alumni were invited to assist the latest generation of Saint Vincent students on one of the most exciting and sometimes nerve-wracking days in their academic career. These alumni participants were able to help new students feel welcome at place graduated students still consider home.
As the next generation of students graduate, one of the best ways that they can give back to the institution where they rested after a long day of classes, where they met their best friends, where they renewed their faith, and where they discovered who they wanted to become in an ever-changing society, is to continue welcoming and building a strong family for all the future Saint Vincent students.
“It really felt like it connected to the ‘Bearcat Family’ that Saint Vincent always speaks of. I may never see any of [the new students] again, but it was nice to get to be a welcoming face, a [testament] to that familial aspect of SVC.” - Morgan Casto, Class of 2020, alumna participant in freshmen move-in day
Students choose colleges to attend based on various personal reasons, including quality of education and location. But I dare to think that many students choose Saint Vincent College because they saw the potential to form the same beautiful memories that alumni, like you, reflect on when the name “Saint Vincent” is mentioned. One of Saint Vincent’s most powerful assets is the connection we have with one another. During this homecoming of 2021, when we are all grateful for the gift of being able to gather together, let us especially celebrate the presence of all SVC students, faculty and staff—past and present— who continue to make this campus feel like home.