Students in front of Chapel with sign WELCOME HOME GAELS

Welcome Home Gaels! With Weekend of Welcome move-in and festivities, and with classes just starting, there’s a buzz of excitement around the Saint Mary’s campus. / Photo by Francis Tatem

Class Is in Session: Meet the Newest Gaels to Begin Studies at Saint Mary’s

As the fall semester begins, get to know the entering class of new undergraduates and transfer students joining the Gael community. This diverse incoming class shows significant growth in numbers—and includes the first students in the BSN in Nursing.

by Steven Boyd Saum, Executive Director of Strategic Communications & Content | August 26, 2025

With classes for undergraduates just underway, there’s a buzz of excitement about Saint Mary’s campus. And it’s the perfect time to get to know the newest Gaels to join the Saint Mary’s community. Start with some numbers: The diverse incoming class includes more than 600 first-year and transfer students, including the first cohort of students in Saint Mary’s new Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program.

More than a quarter of the Gaels beginning their studies this fall identify as first-generation college students, and many will participate in the College’s landmark High Potential Program that provides support for first-generation and low-income students. Nearly 2/3 of the newest Gaels are students of color. And among new SMC students are 129 transfer students who come to SMC from community colleges and four-year institutions across the nation.

“The energy on campus this fall is undeniable—you see it in the joy of Move-In Day, you feel it during Weekend of Welcome, and you can see it grow throughout the year as new opportunities continue to enrich the Saint Mary’s experience.”
—President Roger Thompson

One takeaway from overall numbers: At a challenging time for higher education, it’s notable that this year’s cohort of incoming undergraduate students marks a meaningful 5% growth over recent years.

“Saint Mary’s was founded more than 160 years ago on the idea that education should be both transformative and accessible, and it is inspiring to see more and more students drawn to that mission,” says Saint Mary’s President Roger Thompson. “The energy on campus this fall is undeniable—you see it in the joy of Move-In Day, you feel it during Weekend of Welcome, and you can see it grow throughout the year as new opportunities continue to enrich the Saint Mary’s experience.”

Indeed, you’ll see and hear that energy in clubs and activities across campus, from theatre and music tryouts to more than 50 clubs and organizations, from academic and pre-professional clubs to cultural and diversity clubs like Ballet Folklorico Guadalupano and SMC People of the Pacific. This academic year also brings some new opportunities with Gael Force—the official student spirit club, which is now open to all students; a new Spirit Team that includes a new Cheer Team as well as the well-known Dance Team; and an expanded and renamed SMC Pep Band.

The incoming class of first-year and transfer students arrives at Saint Mary’s as the College continues to earn national recognition in numerous ways. Over the past year, SMC has been esteemed by The Princeton Review as among the “Best in the West” and among the Best 391 Colleges nationwide, and the College earns kudos as a Green School. Money magazine lists SMC among Best Colleges 2025, with a focus on quality, affordability, and student outcomes.

For the transformative education it provides, SMC is also the first college in California and the first Catholic college to be named among Colleges That Change Lives. And for the third year in a row, Saint Mary’s has been named among a select group of colleges to the Transfer Honor Roll. Presented by the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, the honor roll recognizes 251 colleges for creating pathways to support transfer students.

Washington Monthly has ranked Saint Mary’s among the top 3% of the country’s master’s universities, and Forbes includes SMC among America’s Top Colleges. Saint Mary’s has also won recognition from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) as one of the top 10 universities nationally for sustainable food and dining practices. And last year, the College earned a Leadership in Sustainability Award from Contra Costa County.

The Roads that Lead to Saint Mary’s

Two students walking beneath the arcade in August 2025 — Strolling the arcade: enjoying a gorgeous California morning on the first day of class / *Photo by Bryan Navarro*

The Class of 2029 and newest transfer students hail from throughout the Golden State—with increasing numbers from Southern California—as well as numerous US states and territories, from Oregon to Colorado, Hawai’i to Georgia, Texas to Tennessee. Saint Mary’s also welcomed students whose families are serving with the US military overseas and provides special support to students who are veterans. International students beginning their studies arrived in Moraga from 17 countries and nearly every continent. The incoming class draws students from places as far-flung as Brazil and Germany, Canada and New Zealand, Hong Kong and Ghana.

For a decade already, Saint Mary’s has earned designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. This year's cohort includes more than 200 first-year and transfer students identifying as Latinx or Hispanic, comprising more than 36% of incoming students.

Additionally, 4% of incoming Gaels identify as Black, and 8.4% identify as two or more races. Nearly 11% of incoming Gaels identify as Asian, Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or Native American; notably, Saint Mary’s has also earned recognition in recent years as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institution.

Big School Energy and Close-Knit Community

Three male students covered in paint as part of Paint the SMC in 2025 — No brushes allowed! As part of a Saint Mary’s tradition, new students paint the SMC on the hills above campus. / *Photo by Francis Tatem*

Whether it’s for nationally renowned Men’s Basketball, conference champ Softball or Baseball, and teams on the field and court throughout the year, Saint Mary’s annually welcomes dozens of student-athletes from across the globe for 18 Division 1 sports. Many more students take part in 15 Club Sports teams—from national championship-winning Men’s Rugby to lacrosse, club soccer, club water polo, and much more.

As for gender, 56% of the incoming class identify as female and 44% as male—a balance slightly better than the national average.

“Saint Mary’s offers big school energy together with close-knit community,” says Dean of Admissions Chris Krzak. “That’s truly special.”

So what will the newest Gaels study, choosing from scores of possible majors? While first-year students don’t have to declare a major until their second year, creating an opportunity to explore an array of opportunities, members of the Class of 2029 have expressed the most interest in Business Administration, Kinesiology, Health Science, Biology, and Psychology. Incoming students also have the opportunity to study in recently-launched programs in Public Health and Media Production.

Chris Krzak, who serves as Dean of Admissions at Saint Mary’s, has observed how the unique combination of academics and student experience that Saint Mary’s provides has drawn increasing interest among prospective students—both regionally and nationally. “Saint Mary’s offers big school energy together with close-knit community,” he says. “That’s truly special. For students, pair the overall experience with outstanding academics with professors who know you by name, and they find their time here transformational.”