New students will continue a tradition that began with the likes of Rutherford B. Hayes more than 180 years ago when they sign Kenyon’s Matriculation Book as part of Founders’ Day activities on Oct. 26.
That right of passage — started in 1841 when the future president was a student — involves first-year and transfer students inscribing their names in a leather-bound book after vowing to adhere to a set of shared values as part of the College community.
The Matriculation Oath will take place in Rosse Hall during an 11:10 a.m. ceremony that also includes a faculty address, memorial list and awards. Afterwards, new students will plant a tree and be invited to Chalmers Library to sign the Matriculation Book, one of three the College has used. Using an acid-free pen, their names will join those of past generations of Kenyon students, including Hayes, actors Paul Newman 49 H’61 and Allison Janney ’82, and author John Green ’00.
Incoming students — including the Class of 2027 and transfer students — bring their own signature accomplishments to campus as they celebrate their first Founders’ Day, whose origins date back to a time when new students had to pass a 20-week probationary period before officially matriculating into the College.
Drawn from a record number of 8,754 applications, the newcomers come from 39 states and 20 countries. They bring with them a diversity of perspective and experience, with 22 percent identifying as students of color and 10 percent arriving from outside the United States.
And academically, they are among the best out there. They came to campus with an average weighted grade point average of 4.14, and equally impressive standardized test scores, averaging 1420 on the SAT and 32 on the ACT.
That said, Kenyon’s newest students are about so much more than grades and test scores, said Diane Anci, vice president for enrollment management and dean of admissions and financial aid.
“This cohort of students pursued a remarkable range of activities and were distinguished by their creativity and passion, curiosity and maturity,” she said.
New to Founders’ Day this year will be a special gathering just for first-year students featuring bagels, trivia and more in the Alumni Dining Room of Peirce Hall at 10:40 a.m., a half hour before the main ceremony.
“We wanted to give students some time to reflect on our journey so far and commemorate the future that we’ll have here over the next four years,” said Erik Kim ’27, a first-year student from Vietnam recently elected by his peers to serve as class president.
After the main ceremony, first-years are invited to continue the tradition of planting a tree on campus, symbolic of growth and continuity, as well as the importance of preserving the grounds for future generations.
Celestino Limas, vice president for student affairs, said he is particularly fond of the traditions involving the Matriculation Book and the Matriculation Oath, which he administers. In the oath — which was updated in 2018 — students promise to devote themselves to “mutual respect, inclusive citizenship, spirited inquiry and intellectual integrity” as a way of honoring “those who came before us on Gambier Hill.”
It’s meaningful that the oath has changed with the times instead of remaining static and purely ceremonial, he said.
“The fact that the oath has evolved and had adjustments made by students in conjunction with the administration and faculty, that speaks to how students are partners in their educational experience, and that partnership is not something they take lightly.”