THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING NOTRE DAME, SAINT MARY’S AND HOLY CROSS ESTABLISHED 1966
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2026 | VOL. LXI, NO. 1
NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
Tri-campus welcomes freshmen and transfers
Welcome Weekend
Belles Beginnings
By Megan Cornell
By Berhan Hagezom
Friday morning marks the beginning of Welcome Weekend, the University’s annual orientation for freshmen and transfer students. The weekend sets a tone for the school year by teaching students about the University’s Catholic mission and welcoming them to their residential communities. According to Tony Oleck, an advisor to the vice president for student affairs, the weekend “reflects the core messages we hope both students and their families receive as they begin their time at Notre Dame.” Vice president for undergraduate enrollment Micki Kidder shared in a statement to the Observer that the class of 2030 consists of 2,160 freshmen. Each of them, along with 175 transfer students, will participate in
Saint Mary’s four-day long orientation program, Belles Beginnings, began on Thursday and will run through Sunday evening. The orientation helps new students—both freshmen and transfers—adjust to Saint Mary’s with information sessions and social experiences. Shay Jolly Schneider, associate dean of students, works with a committee of faculty and staff to develop the orientation. Starting in the fall, the committee meets at least once a month to discuss next year’s orientation. “It’s a pretty intensive process of figuring out what works, what doesn’t work,
Notre Dame News Editor
see “Welcome” on page 4
Saint Mary’s News Editor
Berhan Hagezom | THE OBSERVER
Tri-campus students move in ahead of classes starting this week. Freshman and transfer students begin their campus experiences with Notre Dame’s Welcome Weekend and Saint Mary’s Belles Beginnings respectively.
Notre Dame welcomes new class By Megan Cornell Notre Dame News Editor
Roughly 2,160 freshmen in the class of 2030 and 175 transfer students are arriving on campus this weekend at the University of Notre Dame, including those who participated in the guaranteed-transfer Gateway Program. Of students admitted to the University, 65% had enrolled, representing a “notable 6 percentage point increase over the current senior class yield,” vice president for undergraduate enrollment Micki Kidder wrote via email. Despite the larger class size, the acceptance rate for this year’s cycle remained at 9%, which was a record low for the University in 2025. The opening of two new residence halls, Grojean and Coyle, combined with factors such as fall study abroad enrollment, allowed the University to accommodate a slightly larger incoming class. Kidder confirmed that incoming freshmen hail from all 50 U.S. states and 80% are Catholic. She noted that information on the class’s racial and ethnic
composition will be available when the Common Data Set is released later this year. Notably, she shared that 70% of all Notre Dame undergraduates receive financial aid, and over half of the incoming freshmen will be receiving need-based aid. This large number is made possible in part by the Pathways to Notre Dame program. Launched in fall 2024, the initiative removed loans from financial aid and was expanded in March to cover full tuition for families earning less than $150,000 annually and cover half the tuition for families earning less than $200,000. “Notre Dame’s recent financial aid expansion under the Pathways to Notre Dame initiative reinforces the University’s commitment to transparency, affordability, and socioeconomic diversity,” Kidder wrote. This year, each of the 175 transfer students received a housing assignment, a change from the past two years, when some students were left without a placement for the fall semester. see “ND 2030” on page 3
see “Belles” on page 5
Saint Mary’s class of 2030 breaks records By Berhan Hagezom Saint Mary’s News Editor
With the largest enrollment number in the history of Saint Mary’s College, the class of 2030 will be making headway onto the campus this week with 524 enrolled students out of 2,221 accepted. According to Sarah Gallagher Dvorak, dean of enrollment management and marketing, 79 of these students, approximately 16%, applied through early decision. Out of the 56 accepted, a total of 28 transfer students will be present on campus. 31 states and territories are represented within the incoming freshman class, while transfer students come from 10 states and two countries. There are a total of five international students, including one international transfer student, originating from China, Brazil, Ethiopia, Mexico and Panama. With a slight decrease as compared to the class of 2029, 30% of students are
first generation and 31% are students of color. 100% of students received a financial aid package through the college, with merit scholarships ranging from $25,000 to $36,000 per year. 77% of students were recognized as having need when applying for financial aid. Gallagher Dvorak shared the acceptance rate has been consistent throughout the past several years at 76%. She explained the rise in applicants has led to newer enrollment strategies. “Given the increase in applications we’ve been seeing over the years, we recommend students apply earlier to Saint Mary’s. In addition to the Early Decision option on the application, we have instituted an Early Action option as well this year. The application deadline for both is November 15,” she wrote in a statement to the Observer. The class of 2030 has also demonstrated significant feats prior to their admittance into the college. With an average GPA of 3.91, 68% of students have held various
leadership positions in high school. “More than three quarters have been involved in community service. We have many entrepreneurs with incredible hearts who founded their own non-profit organizations, many students leading and/or have founded women’s empowerment clubs or programming at their schools and in their communities, a national junior fencing champion in Spain, and a student who is writing a book,” Dvorak wrote. “They’re made up of thespians, musicians, athletes, entrepreneurs, artists, performers and leaders who are making a difference in their communities.” For the second year in a row, the most popular intended major is nursing science. Dvorak credits this to the Center for Integrated Healthcare Innovation, developed in fall 2021 with a direct entry program for freshmen students. The Avenue Experience was also see “SMC 2030” on page 3
NEWS | PAGE 3
OPINION | PAGE 7
SCENE | PAGE 10
SPORTS | PAGE 11
Women’s soccer
Football
Two new South Quad dorms open on the former grounds of Fisher and Pangborn Halls.
ND’s beauty comes from its balance of church teaming and worldly acknowledgment.
The semester’s trends forecasted by one who knows — or at least by one who claims to know.
Notre Dame has lofty expectations after last season’s bitter ending.
The Irish aim to leave no doubt in year five under Marcus Freeman.
Coyle and Grojean
Beautiful tensions
Ins and outs
SPORTS | PAGE 14