Class of 2026 First-Year Walk Takes New Route Through Town
By Katie Oglesby, Editor-in-Chief
The annual First-Year Walk took place on Wednesday. The Class of 2026 walked a new route toward the Gettysburg National Cemetery for the recitation of the Gettysburg Address and speeches from students and faculty.
The Majestic Theatre welcomes the Class of 2026 during the First-Year Walk on Aug. 25, 2022 (Photo George Malian/The Gettysburgian)
The new route took students primarily along South Washington Street, rather than Baltimore Street as it previously had. Instead of the speeches and recitation being in the Gettysburg National Cemetery, students piled into a grassy area past the cemetery to listen.
Adela Holahan ’24 sang the National Anthem and Delany Borgquist ’23, one of the student orientation coordinators, gave the opening remarks.
Delaney Borgquist ’23 gives opening remarks at the Aug. 25, 2022 First-Year Walk for the Class of 2026 (Photo George Malian/The Gettysburgian)
“Class of 2026, we are gathered on this sacred ground to remember the immeasurable sacrifices of so many during and after the Battle of Gettysburg, but also to rise to the challenge that President Lincoln delivered to us as Getttysburgians, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work for which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. I know that you will answer the call,” she said.
Mayor Rita Freeling welcomed the Class of 2026, participating in her first First-Year Walk as mayor. She spoke of the relevance of not only Abraham Lincoln and Dwight Eisenhower in Gettysburg, but also Thaddeus Stevens, who helped pass the 13th and 14th Amendments.
“If it wasn’t for people like Thaddeus Stevens, I wouldn’t be standing before you today as mayor,” she said.
She reminded students that they are a part of the Gettysburg community, and that her office will always be open for them.
She presented the key to Gettysburg to Tiger Frenette ’26, following the tradition of the mayor ceremonially giving the incoming first-year class a key to the town.
President Iuliano in his speech highlighted the relevance of the Gettysburg Address today.
“Let’s use this occasion to grow together as a community and to increase our devotion to the unfinished work of our nation and the world,” Iuliano said.
English Professor Dr. McKinley Melton gave the Keynote speech and the recitation of the Gettysburg Address.
Melton engaged the first year’s in a call and response to say “I am here in this place at this time for a purpose,” before reciting the Gettysburg Address.
The Class of 2026 listened to speeches and the recitation of the Gettysburg Address at the Aug. 25, 2022 First-Year Walk (Photo George Malian/The Gettysburgian)
“Today, I asked that you think about the address in terms of that little theme from a few moments ago,” he said. “…We invite you here today, not only to consider what this place has meant, but also what it has the potential to be.”
He emphasized that students must determine what “unfinished work” they would like to dedicate their time toward.
“Remember that Gettysburg was not built to be a battlefield, the war came to Gettysburg and it was forever transformed,” he said. “Now that you have come to this place, consider how you can be agents of transformational change while you’re here, to leave this place differently than how you found it…Make what you do here matter, and do so with purpose.”
At the end of the speeches, military bugler Yari Villanueva played Taps before students began to walk through the Gettysburg National Cemetery, where the ceremony had traditionally been held during the previous walks.
