A look at the changing events of the last four years
From the moment the Class of 2017 arrived on campus, it was evident that there was something special about “the Magis.” Whether you’re driving down City Ave. or just talking to fellow students and faculty, it’s hard to spend time on campus without hearing about the magis. It seems so ingrained in the Saint Joseph’s University experience that one might assume it has been here forever. Surprisingly, St. Joe’s did not begin their Magis campaign until 2013, when the currently graduating Hawks were new to Hawk Hill.
As far as sports go, the Class of 2017 enjoyed the overwhelming success of our men’s basketball team during their freshmen year when they took home the 2014 Atlantic 10 Championship, securing a spot in the NCAA Tournament. This team, led by current NBA Point Guard Langston Galloway, ’14, cruised to a final record of 24-10, the team’s best record in over 10 years. The A-10 trophy was won in a single day, which represented an overwhelmingly successful and entertaining ride.
St. Joe’s has also been executing plans to extend the boundaries of our campus. Part of these plans were put into motion in 2014 when campus extended to the other side of Cardinal Avenue. This was to open up our new Wolfington Welcome Center for Admissions as well as the invaluable Career Development Center.
When the graduates arrived on campus, our current President Mark C. Reed, Ph.D., was still at senior vice president and chief of staff at Fairfield University. This graduating class was fortunate to be present on campus on the historic day we inaugurated our university’s first lay President in September 2015.
Although much of the Greek life on campus has been around for decades, this graduating class was just getting their feet wet when Sigma Iota Rho chapter, part of Epsilon Omega, opened on campus in 2014.
This class of seniors also marks the last group of incoming freshmen who were required to submit ACT or SAT scores as a part of their application. St. Joe’s joined many other schools around the nation by becoming a test score optional school, a trend that is quickly catching amongst higher institutions around the country. This decision was instrumental in making the application process to St. Joe’s simpler without making it any less selective.
Of course, not everything has changed. Among all the things that have stayed the same, perhaps the most remarkable is that through their entire time here, our mascot, the Hawk, has never stopped flapping its wings.
