Class of 2023 Arrives for Orientation

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. – On a Labor Day whose weather ranged from drizzle to downpour, Middlebury welcomed the Class of 2023 to campus. The gray weather didn’t seem to bother the new arrivals as the annual parade of overpacked cars pulled up to various first-year residence halls around campus. Efficient teams of MiddView orientation leaders emptied each vehicle in a matter of minutes, delivering the contents to students’ rooms. President Laurie Patton made her usual rounds to the move-in hubs, greeting families as they arrived.

The Class of 2023 did a lot of traveling to reach Middlebury. The class includes students from 42 states and 28 countries. Eleven percent of the incoming class are international students. Around 600 students begin their Middlebury careers this fall with another 100 arriving in February.

Middlebury received 9,754 applications for the Class of 2023. Just over 17 percent were admitted.

Throughout the morning and early afternoon, first-year students and their families kept busy with the usual fare—setting up the fridge, making beds, building lofts, and adding their own creative touches to their rooms.

The newly arrived students have a busy week ahead as they work their way through MiddView orientation. From their arrival on Monday through Friday morning, students will spend time learning about both academics and campus life at Middlebury. They’ll meet with their advisors and first-year seminar classmates, learn about the academic departments, and register for classes. They’ll also learn about the College’s academic honor code and programs such as Green Dot, a bystander intervention program to prevent violence.

On Friday, students will depart for a two-and-a-half-day trip on a theme of their choosing. Some will take outdoor adventure trips, others will explore Vermont, and a third group will focus on community engagement in various forms.

Everyone returns Sunday evening for the annual Convocation at Mead Chapel, the official welcome to the Class of 2023 and the ceremonial start of the academic year. Classes begin on Monday, September 9.

Photos by Todd Balfour, Video by Demetrius Borge