By Genesis Bu-Chinchilla
Trinity Times Correspondent

It’s been seven weeks since Trinity Washington University opened its doors to the largest freshman class since before the COVID-19 pandemic. As classrooms and dorms fill with excitement and anticipation, the class of 2029 is eager to chase the dreams that brought them to college.

For many, the transition has been both challenging and rewarding. 

“It’s definitely a new setting and a new environment, and so far, I’ll be sitting in class, and I’ll think, ‘Dang, I’m really in D.C. right now,'” said Yerix Varela-Zelaya, a freshman in the School of Nursing and Health Professions. “The biggest change that I have had so far is being away from home and my family. I definitely miss my parents’ food, but I feel like I’m getting a new experience, like touching into adulthood.”

Arkansas resident Alexa Perez, a freshman in Trinity’s information technology program, said being in the nation’s capital provides her with a front-row view of U.S. power. 

“This is a bigger city than my hometown,” Perez said. “My hometown was very different from this.” Still, she added, Trinity’s campus feels welcoming. “Everyone shows they really care for each other.”

Trinity works to ensure new students are supported. Each spring, 10 to 15 students from the College of Arts and Sciences are selected to serve as peer advisors, mentoring incoming freshmen during orientation week.

“I’d say that there was, like, first-week jitters,” said Cinthya Calderon-Hernandez, a senior global affairs major who took on the peer advisor role this fall. “I think the first day everybody was just kind of nervous because they were all forced to sit together, you know? And that can be a little bit uncomfortable when you don’t know anybody, and you’re starting a whole new chapter. But as the week progressed everybody seemed to go off each other’s vibes.”

This year’s class includes 344 new students, the largest since the 2019–20 academic year, which welcomed 322 before the pandemic began, said Sita Ramamurti, dean of Trinity’s College of Arts and Sciences. Of the 344, 69 students transferred from other institutions, while 220 are first-time college students.

Perez said the numbers feel significant. 

“I think the COVID-19 pandemic really hit hard on our generation,” she said. “It took us kind of a step back socially and academically, and I think that if we’re the biggest class, I see that we’re slowly coming back from that and pursuing more education.”

For Varela-Zelaya, being part of such a large group of new students is a point of pride. 

“Since our school is a minority-serving school, I just love to see women — and men too — are able to beat those stereotypes within the Hispanic community, that we don’t go to college or university,” she said. “It just makes me very happy to see my people in school and that we’re beating those stereotypes.”

Both Perez and Varela-Zelaya credited TheDream.US scholarship program with making their education possible. The national program, the largest of its kind, provides scholarships to undocumented students who are unable to afford tuition and have limited or no access to federal aid.

“I would love to gain a strong foothold here, through all these classes, on a good head start in my career to be able to be successful enough to give back to the Dream Opportunity Scholarship,” Perez said.

Reflecting on her journey, Calderon-Hernandez offered advice to the new class: “Engage as much as possible. Any opportunity that you have to participate in, even if it’s dumb or a little bit embarrassing or humbling. 

“There is no better way to go through things and through the thick of it,” she continued. “Especially within community during these times where all we want to do is, like, come at each other’s throat. I think it’s nice to just talk to people even if you think that they don’t want to talk to you, or they might be too shy, or whatever. I would definitely say engage and build community.”

Looking ahead, Perez said she is most excited about expanding her knowledge and laying the groundwork for a successful career. Varela-Zelaya echoed the sentiment.

“I have a lot of lessons coming my way,” she said, “and through lessons I personally get to grow more as a person and as a human being.”