Freshman students move into Sakac Hall at Mount Saint Mary College on Saturday, August 22. The Mount’s freshman enrollment is up 20 percent this year. In the foreground, Education major James Gwiazdoski of Woodbury, Conn. prepares to move into his room with the help of his father.
With a beautiful Hudson Valley day as the backdrop, Mount Saint Mary College welcomed its largest freshman class in four years on Saturday, August 22.
The incoming cohort marks a 20 percent increase in first-year enrollment compared to last year, contributing to an overall 25 percent surge in on-campus residents.
The college also saw a dramatic 48 percent increase in adult and transfer students compared to last year, marking a five-year high for that demographic.
The widespread momentum pushes the total traditional undergraduate and graduate enrollment to more than 1,400 students. This is in addition to nearly 2,000 learners in the Knight Program, where local high school students earn college credits.
“The faculty and staff at Mount Saint Mary College are dedicated to providing our students with a high-quality education that is both affordable and personalized,” said Kimberly A. Strano ’94, Vice President of Enrollment Management. “We believe strongly that the Mount has something special to offer our students and we believe that each new student has something special to offer to our community. Our goal is to prepare students to spark positive change in our campus community, in our region, and across the country.”
The new students and their families filled residence halls, unpacked boxes, and kicked off the academic year across the vibrant campus. They arrived from nine states: Connecticut, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington.
Dozens of dedicated faculty, staff, and upperclassmen were on hand to help the students and their families move in, including Dr. Robert Gervasi, Mount president.
With new friends and academic adventure awaiting them, the students were eager to begin their college experiences.
James Gwiazdoski of Woodbury, Conn. had the help of his family as he moved onto the Mount campus on Saturday. He’s an Adolescent Education major with a concentration in History, and will also be working toward a dual certification in Special Education.
“I've always wanted to teach children,” he explained. “I thought that would be really rewarding and meaningful.” He added that the Mount “Is a nice, small community, close to home. Everyone's very nice and friendly.”
For Bethel, Conn. native Madison Lavelle, moving into Sakac Hall marked the start of an exciting new chapter. An Early Childhood Education major on the English track, Lavelle has wanted to teach for as long as she can remember.
Her first hours at the Mount provided a warm introduction to college life.
“It's a really, really great environment,” she explained. “Everyone here is so nice, and it's just a really fun place to be. I feel like I’ve met so many new people already, and I’ve only been here for a short time.”
While Gwiazdoski and Lavelle had about an hourlong drive from their home state of Connecticut, things weren’t as quick for Christian Barone, a Business major from Myrtle Beach, S.C. It took him and his family about ten hours to drive to the college, he said. But the move to the Mount campus served as a sort of homecoming for the former resident of Levittown, N.Y.
Barone is a member of the Mount’s lacrosse team. He fell in love with the sport at a young age, focusing on being a goalie. He’s happy to be able to continue his passion for the sport as a college student.
“I got in touch with Coach [Justin] Lorenzo and I learned more about the Mount, and I ended up falling in love with the school, you know? It’s honestly a great environment,” he explained. “I appreciate the teammates helping us out and everything, and helping us move in.”
Business and Education are among the college’s most popular majors, along with the Mount’s rigorous Nursing program. The freshmen are also enrolled in Communication, Media, and Art (CMA), Criminology, the natural sciences, and more.
After moving into their new residence halls, freshmen and transfer students attended Academic Convocation, which marks the arrival of the Mount’s newest students and mirrors the graduation ceremony that awaits them upon completion of their degrees. The students processed to Aquinas Hall, where they were recognized for starting their academic journey.
First-year students would end the day with a teambuilding exercise on the “Grit and Wit” obstacle course on campus, helping each other to overcome a variety of fun challenges and forming bonds with their new classmates.
The Fall 2026 semester at the Mount began two days later on Monday, August 24.
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