St. Thomas held a much delayed March through the Arches for the class of 2024, an event usually held before classes start in the fall to signify the start of a student’s college career, on Friday, the last day of classes in the spring.
The event was canceled due to COVID-19 procedures, but new guidelines released by the university in the past month allowed a March through the Arches in tandem with Tommie Fest later in the evening.
“Today is not about welcoming you into our community,” President Julie Sullivan said, “but recognizing the integral part that you have already played in our community.”
Despite the rainy weather, first-year students put on their St. Thomas apparel and converged in front of John Roach Center where Julie Sullivan and Student Body President Micheal Sullivan gave speeches commemorating the students’ perseverance over the past year and praising their achievements.
“Take risks. You will grow outside your comfort zone,” Michael Sullivan said. “And be kind to others and yourself. The world is a much better place with kind people.”
The students then marched through the arches, where they officially participated in the years-long tradition that the university has held for its incoming students.
The event was much shorter than previous years. Students usually march to the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Center for an address, but this year, students only went as far as the Archbishop John Ireland statue in the lower quad.
Mask guidelines were still in place for the march, but that did not seem to dampen the mood, as students gave cheers and hollers as they participated.
The event comes as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced an end to the mask mandate at the state level on Thursday, as the state inches closer to the goal of vaccinating 70% of all adult Minnesotans. Gov. Walz announced earlier in May that all COVID-19 restrictions would be lifted by the end of the month, and the mask mandate would be lifted by July 1.
The university has updated its COVID-19 guidelines as well.
Elijah Todd-Walden can be reached at todd5861@stthomas.edu.