A sea of students sporting the University of St. Thomas purple looked toward the podium when Undergraduate Student Government Executive President Renee Nies ’28 pulled out her cellphone and took a selfie with members of the incoming Class of 2030. The photo marked the beginning of these students' journey just moments before they participated in the annual March Through the Arches on Sept. 8.
“Over these past months you've learned a lot about St. Thomas: our programs, our majors and minors, our campus, our employment outcomes, you may know something about our history and traditions, but there's something important about St. Thomas," President Rob Vischer said at the opening ceremony. "It's shaped by what you bring.
"Our culture is built year after year by our faculty, staff and students who pass through those arches. That's why we spent time at the opening of every school year talking about these convictions, values and commitments. That's why we're here. They're foundational to the community that we're becoming."
Students pose for a photo as they walk through the Arches on Sept. 8, 2026 in St. Paul. (Brandon Woller '17 / University of St. Thomas)Caruso’s Crew hyping up students as they walk through the Arches at March through the Arches on Sept. 8, 2026 in St. Paul. (Brandon Woller '17 / University of St. Thomas)Students pose for a photo as they walk through the arches at March through the Arches on Sept. 8, 2026 in St. Paul. (Brandon Woller '17 / University of St. Thomas)Students pose for a photo as they walk through the arches at March through the Arches on Sept. 8, 2026 in St. Paul. (Brandon Woller '17 / University of St. Thomas)Students pose for a photo as they walk through the arches at March through the Arches on Sept. 8, 2026 in St. Paul. (Brandon Woller '17 / University of St. Thomas)Students pose for a photo as they walk through the arches at March through the Arches on Sept. 8, 2026 in St. Paul. (Brandon Woller '17 / University of St. Thomas)President Rob Vischer poses for a photo with football students at March through the Arches on Sept. 8, 2026 in St. Paul. (Brandon Woller '17 / University of St. Thomas)
Class of 2030 is the 142nd class at St. Thomas and includes over 2,000 undergraduates from across 30 U.S. states. This class also includes students from Puerto Rico and 42 nations. About one of every three students in this class are representing their families as a first-generation college scholar.
Students walk through the arches at March through the Arches on Sept. 8, 2026 in St. Paul. (Brandon Woller '17 / University of St. Thomas)Students walk through the arches at March through the Arches on Sept. 8, 2026 in St. Paul. (Brandon Woller '17 / University of St. Thomas)Incoming freshmen participate in March Through the Arches on the St. Paul campus on Sept. 8, 2026. (Brandon Woller '17 / University of St. Thomas)Students pose for a photo as they walk through the arches at March through the Arches on Sept. 8, 2026 in St. Paul. (Brandon Woller '17 / University of St. Thomas)Incoming freshmen participate in March Through the Arches on the St. Paul campus on Sept. 8, 2026. (Mark Brown / University of St. Thomas)Mark Brown / University of St. Thomas
"You will walk across the historic threshold together, leaving behind the separate paths that brought you here and stepping forward into a shared journey," said Paul Mueller, the VP of strategic enrollment management. "Every single one of you has a distinct purpose to uncover, but none of you have to do it alone. We are all in this together. You belong to this community, and our mission is richer because of you."
Students take photos at a photo booth during Late Night Activities during Welcome Day at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena in St. Paul on Sept. 2, 2026.Students walking through campus to head to the pep rally during Welcome Day at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena in St. Paul on Sept. 2, 2026.Students headed towards the pep rally during Welcome Days at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena in St. Paul on Sept. 2, 2026.New students are welcomed in Woulfe Hall on Orientation Day on July 15, 2026, in St. Paul.Members of the incoming class socialize in Woulfe Hall on Orientation Day on July 15, 2026, in St. Paul. (Brandon Woller '17 / University of St. Thomas)Students participate in a Pep Rally during Welcome Day on Sept. 2, 2026, inside Lee & Penny Anderson Arena in St. Paul.Incoming students dance at the Headphone Disco in Scooters on Sept. 03, 2026, in St. Paul. (Brandon Woller '17 / University of St. Thomas)
St. Thomas welcomed its incoming class with a week of activities during Welcome Days, Sept. 1-8. New Tommies got to know one another through icebreakers on the field at O’Shaughnessy Stadium, met their deans during Academic College Day, explored extracurricular opportunities at the Student Engagement Fair and showed their school spirit at Tommie Athletics' events such as the pep rally.
