
Incoming first-year student Kitty Martin ’27 was all smiles as she was driven through the cheering crowd by older sister Elsa Martin, who revealed (with a laugh) that she attends Amherst rival Williams College.

As far as days go, August 29 was perfect for move-in. The sun was bright and the energy was palpable. As they arrived on campus to drop off their new Amherst students, families were greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of orientation leaders, cheering for their new peers and waving glittery signs reading, “New Mammoths Alert!” “Welcome 2027,” “Honk your horn!” and even, “Welcome, Barbie & Ken!” Mohammed Alausa ’24 (front) helped to set the festive tone with fun pop tunes playing from his speaker.

Clockwise from top left: Orientation leader Sydney Wishner ’24 helps family members load their students’ bags from car to cart, while Professor of Chemistry and Faculty Equity and Inclusion Officer Sheila Jaswal holds the cart steady. Chela Cunningham ’25 and Sydney Wishner ’24 pull a cartful of a new student’s belongings through James Hall. President Michael A. Elliott ’92 offered a hand to an arriving family and introduced himself to a new student.

Popping into all the residence halls, President Elliott said hello to Makafui Baragbor ’27 (left) and Sara Maity ’27 (right). Makafui, who is from Accra, Ghana, had just landed in the U.S. for the first time the night before. Despite that, she seemed calm and excited for the week ahead. She loves to sing and dance and plans to study pre-med. Her new roommate, Sara, hails from White Plains, New York, but grew up in Southern California. She has competed on the international level as a Team USA figure skater. At Amherst, she plans to study pre-law and political science.

Jackson Hersom ’27 from Sutton, Massachusetts, is flanked by his mother and partner. At Amherst and beyond, he wants to tackle issues of social justice through a journalistic lens. His ultimate hope? “To give my generation some hope and make everyone feel as heard as possible.”