Incoming students packed the Student Center this week for the first sessions of  orientation, with administrators pointing to the turnout as an early sign of recovery ahead of the fall semester.

The turnout follows the college’s lowest spring enrollment in more than two decades, as the Chronicle previously reported, and final fall numbers won’t be confirmed until the official census date in September.

But Columbia administrators said they were encouraged by attendance at orientation this week, which Kristi Beltran, director of student engagement and leadership, said was higher than she had seen in years.

“The college had a plan to recruit and get as many students accepted and acclimated into the college as possible this year, and I attribute that to the admissions and enrollment management,” she said. 

Beltran said every in-person orientation session, held four days a week over the next two weeks, has 115 students registered each day. A virtual session the third week is also at capacity.

At orientation, incoming students attended informational sessions on class registration, housing and financial aid. 

Incoming first-year illustration major Bella Hernandez said she was drawn to the school’s arts-focused environment and the opportunities available to students, especially after seeing her sister’s success at the college.

“I’m a little bit nervous, but I’m pretty excited,” Hernandez said.

Spring 2026 enrollment fell to 3,958 students, slightly lower than the college’s 4,000 projection. Columbia is expecting fall enrollment to reach “well more than” 4,000 students this fall, Interim Senior Vice President and Provost Suzanne McBride said during a student forum in late March, as the Chronicle previously reported.

Emmanuel Lalande, senior vice president of enrollment strategy and student success, said in an email to the Chronicle that the turnout at orientation is encouraging.

“The trends we are seeing today reflect meaningful progress in our ongoing efforts to stabilize enrollment,” he said.

Lalande said the college has focused on supporting incoming students through “every step of the enrollment process.” 

“We have seen encouraging momentum across several key enrollment indicators this year, including increased participation in New Student Orientation,” Lalande said in an email to the Chronicle. “It’s exciting to see so many new students engaging with the Columbia community before the semester even begins.”

The college also saw high turnout at Admitted Students Day in April. Between 1,300 and 1,400 guests were expected to attend.

After informational sessions on the first days of orientation this week, incoming students were able to socialize during lunch and attend a New Student Expo to meet representatives of campus organizations and ask questions.

“The transition to college is very overwhelming, and we want to try to make it as welcoming as possible, and help them feel confident going into the year,” said Morgan Lawson, a senior film and television major and one of the head engagement leaders of orientation. “Even if they just have one takeaway, something that they can have with them to start the school year.”

Sadie Eichenberger, an incoming first-year illustration major, said Columbia already felt like the right fit.

“It felt the most like me,” Eichenberger said. “It had the best community suited to what I was looking for.”

Incoming first-year acting major Mags Witte , who is from Iowa, said he chose Columbia to experience a new place and new opportunities through his major.

“I’m just excited to learn and try new things,” Witte said. 

Copy edited by Antonio Chaves