UD’s newest students gather on The Green for the University’s Twilight Induction Ceremony, a ritual that welcomes to campus all new students and marks the official start of their time at UD.

A shining start

Article by Amy Wolf Photos by Evan Krape, Maria Errico and Kate Pfister August 25, 2026

UD welcomes new students, faculty and staff at symbolic Twilight Induction Ceremony

After a whirlwind first two days at the University of Delaware, first-year student Keira Stealey finally got a chance to sit down. With front-row seats on The Green for UD’s Twilight Induction Ceremony, the honors global business major looked behind her at the sea of new Blue Hens and thought about how surreal it was to be starting her college journey.

“It’s been action-packed,” Stealey said of the University’s Welcome Days. “I think I’ve sat down for a total of like five hours in the past 48 hours, but it’s been great. I’ve been able to meet a bunch of people, and it’s been a great way to start college.”

Stealey’s journey began alongside other new Blue Hens at the annual Twilight Induction Ceremony, a campus tradition that welcomes new students and kicks off their first semester at UD. The ceremony is the culmination of Welcome Days, several days of activities and opportunities for new students to learn about the campus and meet their classmates.

Keira Stealey (center) said participating in UD’s Welcome Days was a great way to meet new people.

“I’m looking around and seeing how many people are here and how different we all are, but it’s exciting, and I can’t wait to see in four years where we all are,” Stealey said.

This year’s ceremony also included new graduate students as well as new faculty and staff.

“As a Blue Hen, you are part of a community,” UD President Laura Carlson said. “The banners here on The Green tell you how we define ourselves and what we declare about ourselves to the world, such as a dedication to learning and service and each other.”

“[Traditions] allow us to reach across time and space and recognize that we are not alone — and remind us that each of us is part of the Blue Hen flock,” UD President Laura Carlson said.

One way that people show they belong to a community is by embracing its traditions, Carlson said, pointing to the UD Fight Song and Alma Mater as examples. Putting that spirit into practice, Blue Hens broke into two groups to see who could deliver the best rendition of the Fight Song.

“[Traditions] allow us to reach across time and space and recognize that we are not alone — and remind us that each of us is part of the Blue Hen flock,” Carlson said.

José-Luis Riera, vice president for student life, emphasized the deeper meaning behind the Twilight Ceremony.

“It’s about entering a community that welcomes you with promise and invites you to belong with joy,” he said. “You are now part of something much bigger than your major, your department, your residence hall, your research area or your hometown. You are joining a community that believes in your potential, celebrates your presence and is excited to see who you will become.”

Members of the Class of 2030 sign their class banner.

Saumya Bhavsar, a computer science major from Newark, Delaware, chose UD because of its sense of opportunity and belonging.

“UD is close to home and is also a perfect fit for what I want to do,” he said. “It offers a lot of opportunities for improvement and growth, and it has a really strong community.”

For first-year student Saumya Bhavsar (second from left), UD was the perfect choice in school because of its sense of opportunity and belonging.

Jaquil Green, a first-year agricultural and natural resources major, is excited to get involved on campus. After attending the Involvement Fair earlier in the day, he’d already joined several clubs, including track and field, poetry and hydroponics.

“Some clubs are related to my major, and some are just my interests — but it’s awesome that UD offers all of it,” he said. “I’m going to make the most of my time at UD by putting myself out there. I want to participate in everything that UD has to offer so I can become the kind of person I want to be.”

“It’s awesome that UD offers all of it,” first-year student Jaquil Green said of the extracurricular activities at UD.

During her four years at UD, first-year student Gabriela Roman said she’s looking forward to getting a great education, studying abroad and becoming prepared to start a career. But most of all, she’s excited to make lifelong friends.

“It kind of feels unreal, finally seeing everyone all together,” she said. “It’s crazy to see that the vast majority of us are smiling, we’re all being friendly, and it’s just really exciting that we’re all a part of the Blue Hen community.”