Rider welcomes a new bundle of Broncs

By Tara DeLorenzo

Freshmen from all over the world were welcomed to Rider on Aug. 31. There are 947 freshmen on the Lawrenceville campus and 81 on the Westminster campus.
Of this new batch of Broncs, 27 percent are from out of state, with 25 of the 50 states represented among the students. The top states include New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, California and Connecticut. Other students have come from the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, and there are 37 students who have come from 28 other countries.
According to Jamie O’Hara, vice president for enrollment management, the majority of this year’s freshman class is female, making up 59 percent of the class. These numbers follow a recent trend, as last year’s enrollment saw 61 percent female and 39 percent male. The most popular of the female names for this year’s freshmen include Samantha, Sara/Sarah, Emily, Jessica, and Rachel/Rachael. The most popular male names are Michael, Christopher, Nicholas, John and Anthony.
Although Sasha Ferrer, an undeclared major with an interest in elementary education from

Hoboken, N.J., does not have one of the most popular names of the class, she is excited to meet new people and take on new opportunities.
“When I came to visit the first time, I was terrified, but felt at home immediately,” she said. “Everyone I met was nice, and they made sure that any questions I had were answered before I left. I came again right before I got my acceptance and knew that Rider was probably the only school to offer me so much and was close enough to my home in case I needed to get back, but far enough that I can learn how to be independent.”
Digital media major and Washington, N.J., native, Alan Helimsky, is looking forward to getting involved in the many opportunities at Rider, including club hockey and film work. Right away, he knew Rider was the perfect school for him.
“I actually didn’t apply anywhere but Rider,” Helimsky said. “I knew it was the right fit for me after I first visited. I loved the home-like feel that Rider gave me. I also liked that it was a small campus with small classes, the internship opportunities and the food.”

A large portion of the Class of 2018 is enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (44 percent), followed by the College of Business Administration (30 percent), the School of Education (10 percent) and Westminster’s School of Fine & Performing Arts (8 percent).
Mary-Lyn Buckley, a journalism major from Staten Island, N.Y., applied to many other schools, including Syracuse, Rutgers, Montclair, Seton Hall and Quinnipiac, but found her dream school with Rider.
“Originally I pictured myself attending a large university with a giant football stadium, and most importantly a name I could find on every sweatshirt in JCPenney’s. Rider was none of those things, but Rider fit me,” she said. “I got tons of mail and it was the perfect balance of athletics, academics, and a social life. I saw Rider as an opportunity to get involved while not being lost in a crowd. I learned it has a great alumni association, and close yet diverse student body. I really could picture myself fitting in.”

Printed in the 9/3/14 edition.