Lasell University opened the academic year with its largest incoming class in five years. On August 31, the newest cohort of Lasers moved into campus, with returning students following two days later. More than 90% of these first-year students are residing on campus.

Classes commenced on September 3, greeted by a beautiful New England fall day. Two days later, to celebrate the beginning of the academic year, students gathered on Arnow Quad for the annual Lasell U-Belong event, which featured opening remarks from President Eric Turner and Chief Diversity Officer Jesse Tauriac. The lively atmosphere was enhanced by bounce houses, a diverse array of food options, and music provided by WLAS-FM.

The week wrapped up with a series of campus activities, where students took advantage of the sunny weather to connect with friends both old and new.

This year's first-year class includes more than 400 students from 28 states, including Washington, Wisconsin, Texas, Utah, Virginia, South Carolina, Oregon, Oklahoma, Ohio, Nevada, Minnesota, Maryland, Hawaii, Georgia, Florida, Colorado, and Arizona.

Adding to the excitement, this class also boasts a strong international presence, with 6% of students hailing from countries including Brazil, Costa Rica, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Rwanda, Spain, and Venezuela.