View Our Opening Days Photo Album

By Darryl Gangloff

A sea of pink and blue shirts filled campus during Opening Days as orientation leaders and proctors welcomed new and returning Bearcats to Hotchkiss.

These student leaders arrived early to prepare for the influx of new Bearcats. Proctors trained for their important yearlong roles as dormitory supervisors, while orientation leaders—wearing bright pink shirts in honor of the 50th anniversary of women and girls at Hotchkiss—worked together to create a welcoming environment. Jami Huang ’25 masterfully showcased the wide variety of orientation activities during a days-long takeover on the Hotchkiss Instagram, including a student/faculty dodgeball game and a welcome reception for new students and their families from abroad. Visit our Instagram profile and click on the "Orientation" highlight to view Jami's recap.

Fall varsity athletes also made the trip to campus early to begin practicing together as strong teams. Watch an interview with a few athletes shortly after they arrived at Hotchkiss.

New students arrived on campus on Aug. 31 and received a warm welcome from cheering classmates. “If I could give any advice to new students, I would say cherish this new beginning and remember that we are all here to help you accomplish your dreams,” said Isaiah Stephens ’25, who is an All-School president and orientation leader.

Watch a fantastic video below by Warren Edwards ’27 that highlights the community support for new Bearcats.

Following a welcome ceremony featuring remarks by Erby Mitchell P'21, assistant head of school and dean of admissions and financial aid, Kara Cooper P'25,'27, and Head of School Craig W. Bradley, families said goodbye to their children, who immediately ran to the Chapel to begin orientation activities. In her speech, Cooper spoke about her two daughters, Charlotte ’27 and Julia ’25, and emphasized that “academic, co-curricular, and personal opportunities have opened up their lives in ways that their dad and I couldn’t really have imagined and have been deeply impactful and meaningful to our entire family.”

The campus fully sprang back to life as returning students arrived on Labor Day and settled into their dorms. Bearcats enjoyed varsity team practices, class meetings, an advisory dinner, and the Contra Dance—a beloved Hotchkiss tradition. New students competed in the third annual Orientation Trivia Game Show, and an excited group of new students won by correctly answering the final question: Where is a Bearcat native to? Answer: South and Southeast Asia—and Lakeville, of course.

On Sept. 3, students participated in class bonding activities. Preps harvested thousands of pounds of potatoes at Fairfield Farm that will be used in meals at Ford Food Court. That evening, the community formally welcomed new members during the annual Matriculation ceremony. Bearcats announced their names and hometowns and stated their pride in joining their class to loud applause. Following this once-in-a-lifetime moment, students celebrated at the Blue & White opening event.

Classes started on Sept. 4 and students of color enjoyed a lunch under Harris House tent. Campus is once again buzzing with energy and Bearcat pride!