Welcome to PC, Class of 2030
Welcome to PC, Class of 2030
The 1,304 students in the Class of 2030 arrived on campus on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, to begin the 2026–2027 academic year.
It is the largest class in college history. Students come from 31 states, the District of Columbia, and eight countries — Canada, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Denmark, Egypt, and Congo. There are 779 women and 525 men. Nine percent are first-generation college students. About 16 percent are students of color. There are 99 students in the Honors Program and 105 student-athletes. The new students include 44 who were admitted through the Providence Opportunity Program, including students from Cristo Rey high schools across the country, the Posse Foundation serving greater New Orleans, and Martin Luther King Jr. scholars.
The most popular majors are finance, nursing, marketing, health sciences, and management.
Volunteers from student organizations helped with the move into the six first-year residence halls — Aquinas, Meagher, McDermott, McVinney, Raymond, and St. Joseph. Families were welcomed with refreshments provided by the Office of Alumni Relations. Complimentary breakfast and lunch were served in Raymond Dining Hall.
The Welcome Mass for new families took place at 3 p.m. in Peterson Recreation Center and was celebrated by College President Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P. ’78, ’82G and priests from the Dominican community.
Students received a graduation tassel, a symbol of the trust the college has that they will receive a diploma.
In his homily, Rev. Thomas More Garrett, O.P., executive vice president and chief operating officer, talked about the role Artificial Intelligence will play in the lives of students, drawing from Pope Leo’s first encyclical.
“AI can imitate the language of friendship and compassion but it does not enter into friendship, and it cannot genuinely care,” Father Garrett said. “That distinction matters because the purpose of education is not to make you faster at producing answers. It is to help you become the kind of person who can recognize which questions are worth asking, which answers are true, and what love requires of you once you know the answer.”
Also moving to campus were 69 transfer students. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors will return to campus on Sunday, August 30, in time for the first day of classes on Monday, August 31.
Watch the Mass of Welcome
Academic Convocation begins academic year
The Class of 2030, transfer students, and new full-time faculty members were formally welcomed during Academic Convocation on Friday, August 28, at 10 a.m. in Peterson Recreation Center.
The keynote speaker was Jennifer A. Frey, Ph.D., director of programs in classical liberal arts at the University of Virginia, a fellow at its Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture, and a visiting professor in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Students also heard from René Alexander Orquiza, Ph.D., associate professor of history and winner of the Joseph R. Accinno Faculty Teaching Award, the college’s top teaching honor. Charles Hergott ’27, from Plainville, Connecticut, president of Student Congress and a political science major, welcomed new students.
Sixteen full-time, tenure-track, and instructional professors joined the faculty for new academic year. They were welcomed at Academic Convocation, along with full-time visiting and adjunct professors, and again at the Fall Faculty recognition Dinner on September 2.
The new faculty members are:
- Justin Caouette, Ph.D., assistant professor of philosophy
- Paul Cato, Ph.D., assistant professor of Black studies
- Salena Diaz, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology
- Ali Marie Galindo, Ph.D., assistant professor of nursing
- Jennifer Greenwich, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology
- Kim Jackson, Ph.D., assistant professor of nursing
- Taylor Jansen, Ph.D., assistant professor of health sciences
- Isaiah Jeong, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology and anthropology
- Laura Lam, Ph.D., assistant professor of management
- Michael Massey, Ph.D., assistant professor of social work
- Deborah McManus, Ph.D., assistant professor of nursing
- Philip Porter, Th.D., assistant professor of theology
- George Ramirez, Ph.D., assistant professor of art history and of communication
- Rev. Ephrem Reese, O.P., STD, assistant professor of theology
- Elly Weybright, Ph.D., assistant professor of English
- Joy Wilkinson, Ph.D., assistant professor of finance
Mia Chung-Yee, DMA, will be the Rev. Robert J. Randall Distinguished Professor in Christian Culture for the 2026-2027 academic year. She is the founder and executive director of the Octet Collaborative and professor of musical studies and performance at the Curtis Institute of Music.
Watch Academic Convocation
Starting early with service
About 275 students, or 20 percent of the Class of 2030, chose to begin the academic year early by joining pre-orientation programs.
Urban Action, a tradition since 1991, drew 113 first-year students for three days of service in and around Providence. The did street cleanup on Smith Hill and Pleasant Valley Parkway and prepared classrooms at St. Augustine School, St. Pius V School, Veazie Street Elementary School, and Blessed Sacrament School. They were assisted by 28 leaders.
FaithWorks, a program that introduces students to service opportunities in the Diocese of Providence, drew 62 first-year students who worked with 17 student leaders.
Transitions, a program for students of color and first-generation students, offers city tours, community service, and networking opportunities. This year, 41 students and 13 mentors, known as dream coaches, took part.
Rec Connect introduced 40 students to campus life through instruction in group fitness, wellness, recreational sports, and outdoor adventure. Through FRAME, 18 students learned about the arts on campus and in the city of Providence.
