St. Thomas freshmen, transfer students and international students took part in their first Tommie tradition, March Through the Arches, Tuesday, officially becoming the class of 2017.

Faculty, students, alumni and parents filled the Lower Quad, waiting to applaud the new 1,375 students and welcome them to the university.

Freshman Priya Dashini said she felt like she was meant to be at St. Thomas after walking through the arches.

“When I walked under the arch, I felt like I was at home,” Dashini said. “For the first time, it was like I was actually a Tommie.”

Marla Friederichs, associate vice president of enrollment services, introduced this year’s incoming class.

According to Friederichs, the average GPA of incoming freshmen is 3.54, and the class boasts an average cumulative ACT score of 25.59.

The class stays with the trend class of 2016’s female/male ratio; about fifty two percent of the incoming students are male while about 47 percent are female.

Individually, 159 students in the class had a 4.0 GPA or higher and 28 were valedictorians of their high school. Perfect scores on various ACT subjects were plentiful as well; five students had perfect scores in English, four students in math, 20 students in reading and three students in science.

Friederichs was candid with the new generation of Tommies, calling them “awesome.”

For freshman David Sperber, this tradition was a realization of something he’s always wanted.

“I’m excited because I’m going to a college that I actually wanted to go to,” Sperber said.

Sperber said his family also played a part in his decision to march through the arches and become a St. Thomas student.

“My cousin graduated from here in 2008 and really loved it,” he said.

Undergraduate Student Government President Jenna Johnson also spoke at the ceremony, giving tips about how to succeed not only in the classroom, but also how to branch out in a new college community.

After the march, students filed into the Schoenecker Arena for an interfaith blessing and then the John P. Monahan Plaza for a campus-wide picnic.

Frank Burquest, a transfer student from the University of Minnesota, took part in the march Tuesday and said he found the engineering program enticing.

“I’m excited because it’s a new year, but also because it’s a new start,” Burquest said.

Joey Anderson can be reach at ande9008@stthomas.edu.