On Aug. 12, Georgia Southern University welcomed its record-breaking class of 2029 with the new student convocation, held at the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center, nicknamed “The Hill.”

This is the first time the new venue has been used to usher in an incoming class since its opening in December of 2024—a fitting way to mark the arrival of the largest freshmen class in GSU history. 

After being greeted at the doors of The Hill by members of the Southern Pride Marching Band, new students had a chance to see performances from several student groups and hear from alumni, students, and faculty of Georgia Southern. 

Caiden Adams and Lilly Hoffman are both incoming freshmen on the Statesboro campus who attended the convocation. The New Student Convocation was “a blast,” Adams said. “It was a lot of fun.” Hoffman shared similar thoughts about the event and The Hill, saying, “I thought it was really nice. It’s definitely big enough to accommodate us.”

The class of 2029 has an estimated enrollment of nearly 6,000 students. This convocation provided a fun and easy way for the students to begin their time at Georgia Southern.