Looking Towards Tomorrow at Ithaca Today

By Grace Collins '22, April 20, 2023

Accepted student event celebrates the Class of 2027.

Accepted students and their families were all smiles at Ithaca Today.

New friends taking selfies in front of a “2027” balloon display. Proud parents capturing the moment their student officially enrolled at IC. Admission Hosts excitedly leading tours and answering questions.

Those were just a few of the sights on South Hill on April 15, when over 900 high school students and supporters traveled to the Ithaca College campus for Ithaca Today. The college’s largest annual event for accepted students, the day was filled with energy and excitement as attendees connected with faculty and current students, explored the campus, attended information sessions and panel discussions, and for some, ultimately made the commitment to spend their next four years at IC.

The day opened with remarks from campus leaders, including President La Jerne Terry Cornish and Executive Director of Admission Nicole Eversley Bradwell. President Cornish discussed the college’s core educational values of theory, practice, and performance that led her to Ithaca College, and shared a message for the assembled crowd.

“Know that Ithaca College is not a place that will transform you. Ithaca College is a place that will be transformed by you.”

President La Jerne Terry Cornish

“Enjoy your time on campus today. Ask lots of questions, meet as many people as you can, and be open to the possibilities that lie within each one of you,” she said. “Know that Ithaca College is not a place that will transform you. Ithaca College is a place that will be transformed by you.”

Eversley Bradwell spoke to the ways the college is working to empower students with all of the information they need to make an informed choice ahead of National College Decision Day on May 1.

This includes programs like the IC Commitment, a four-year financial transparency and student support initiative. The commitment includes IC Advantage, which offers a free one-credit summer class for incoming students to gain skills intended to ease their transition to college life.

"The results [of the Ithaca Commitment] have been wonderful. The research that we've done, the feedback that we've received, demonstrate to us that doing this type of work before coming to campus helps support a student when they’re here,” Eversley Bradwell said. “We are so happy and privileged that you are here with us, and we want you to dive in and learn about our community so you can make an informed decision.”

Students had the opportunity to learn more about academic options at IC during the event. (Photo by Nathalie Molina '24)

Music education major Alex Renzoni ’24 also took the stage to share the story of his own college search experience, and the importance of taking advantage of the opportunities that came his way.

“The overwhelmingly welcomed feeling I got from being on IC’s campus was a feeling that I knew I should trust, and it soon led me towards an engaged and passionate student body, an incredibly caring yet supportively challenging network of faculty and a bustling, nationally recognized college town,” he said. “After a fully virtual first semester, I vowed to take advantage of every opportunity I could, whether related to my curricular endeavors, my extracurricular passions, or my continued self-discovery.”

Students then embarked on tours with Admission Hosts and explored campus based on their academic and co-curricular interests. Each of IC’s five schools held academic programming throughout the day, including meet-and-greets with faculty and students and presentations from deans. Additional panel discussions about topics such as on-campus employment and finding community at IC were also held.

There were plenty of opportunities to see what a life at IC would entail outside of the classroom. Office of Residential Life and Dining Services drop-ins gave students a chance to see where they would live and eat, allowing them to truly envision their lives on campus, and the Student Experience Fair allowed them to connect with different departments and student organizations.

Getting Connected

Meredith Robbins ’23, an integrated marketing communications major, spent the day in the Roy H. Park School of Communications greeting students and sharing information about Park Promotions, a co-curricular where students can get real-world marketing experience. She also took photos of students and their families in the Park School “Instagram booth” that attendees were able to share on social media.

“It’s really exciting to be here because Ithaca Today is what made me decide to attend Ithaca College back in 2019,” said Robbins. “I got to meet the people, I got to meet the professors and it really made me feel like this was the place for me. I’m excited to give accepted students that same experience and show them the opportunities for them to become exceptional IC students and community members.”

For incoming students like Jordie Wanatick ’27, Ithaca Today was also a chance to finally meet in-person with the friends she’d made online. Through channels like Instagram group chats and the “IC Class of 2027” Facebook page, students are able to begin creating a community and connecting with future classmates long before they get to campus for orientation.

“It’s really cool to be here and see all the friends in person that I’d met online. I’ve been on campus before, but this is even more exciting.”

Jordie Wanatick ’27

“It’s really cool to be here and see all the friends in person that I’d met online,” said Wanatick, who’s committed to Ithaca College and will major in psychology and creative writing this fall. “I’ve been on campus before, but this is even more exciting.”

Aiden Therrien ’27, an accepted student who traveled from Maryland to attend the event, said that getting to see campus in-person was a highlight of the day.

“I've seen pictures, but just kind of getting a spatial awareness of everything is awesome,” he said. “It's nice to get to talk to people, to see who your professors are going to be and how they interact with students, and seeing the outcomes of Ithaca College students. It’s definitely a good experience.”

Making it Official

The day ended with Cookies on the Concourse, an opportunity for students and families to get their final questions answered and enjoy a sweet treat as they returned from different tours and programming.

Students also had the opportunity to tour campus with their future classmates. (Photo by Nathalie Molina '24)

For the students who had decided IC was the place for them, Ithaca Today was also an opportunity to get the unique experience of confirming their enrollment in-person. Tables were set up with balloons and admission staff cheered and applauded as 45 students completed the form and made their deposits, officially marking the moment they committed to becoming an Ithaca Bomber.

For Avery Morris ’27, Ithaca College has always been the place for her. The future art education major came to campus from Oneonta, New York, with her mom, intending to enroll that day.

“I’ve honestly been interested in coming here for a really long time. This was my top school from the beginning, I loved it the very first time I visited,” she said. “It was great to get to walk around today and talk to some people from the School of Humanities & Sciences.”

Miralhi Taylor-Martin ’27, an incoming acting major from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, also made the decision to sign on the dotted line. Her family was with her, excitedly filming and taking photos as she confirmed her enrollment.

“I always knew that Ithaca was my first choice, but committing today just felt right. I love the acting program and its philosophy of theory, practice, performance. I'm looking forward to just being immersed in the environment on campus this fall.”

Miralhi Taylor-Martin ’27

“I always knew that Ithaca was my first choice, but committing today just felt right,” Taylor-Martin said. “I love the acting program and their philosophy of theory, practice, performance. I'm looking forward to just being immersed in the environment on campus this fall.”

Laurie Koehler, vice president for marketing and enrollment strategy, spoke to the success of the event and what it means for the college’s incoming class of 2027.

“The energy of the day was incredible. It’s always exciting to have so many members of the IC community joining together to welcome hundreds of admitted students and their supporters to campus,” she said. “It’s so important for admitted students to be able to experience the vibrancy of both IC and Ithaca, connect with our remarkable students, staff, and faculty, and have their questions answered before making the milestone decision about where to enroll.”