Before Classes Begin, Morehouse Gives Its Freshmen a Lesson in Belonging
“I’ve got a feeling somebody’s trying to sneak in my house … Morehouse!” A boisterous crowd sang into the summer night air as they flanked a long line of young men dressed in white shirts and maroon ties as they exited King Chapel. It is with those words, sang by upperclassman and alumni, that Morehouse […] The post Before Classes Begin, Morehouse Gives Its Freshmen a Lesson in Belonging appeared first on Capital B News.
Black News 
“I’ve got a feeling somebody’s trying to sneak in my house … Morehouse!”
A boisterous crowd sang into the summer night air as they flanked a long line of young men dressed in white shirts and maroon ties as they exited King Chapel.
It is with those words, sang by upperclassman and alumni, that Morehouse College welcomed 722 freshmen who make up the Class of 2030 to their New Student Orientation.
The preparation necessary to pull off a week of bonding activities and inspiring programming began five months ago.
NSO leaders, composed of current sophomores, juniors and seniors, go through a rigorous application process and spend the summer planning and practicing for an unforgettable welcome experience for Morehouse’s newest residents and their families.
“When I first became an NSO leader, it was a super full circle experience for me,” junior Donovan Hood, who hails from Columbia, Mississippi, told Capital B Atlanta. “My NSO had a very strong impact on me. Being from more rural parts of Mississippi, where poverty, crime rates, and death are all you hear about, it was a breath of fresh air. I jumped at the chance to impact others the same way.”
NSO is a hallmark experience for any man of Morehouse and is the beginning of establishing a lifelong brotherhood. From Wednesday to Sunday, dozens of student leaders, faculty and staff members, and alumni welcomed the new class in a spirit-filled way. President F. DuBois Bowman began his remarks at the Opening Assembly by inviting the freshmen to maximize their experience.
“The enduring legacy of Morehouse College awaits you,” said Bowman, an alum of the prestigious HBUC himself. “And I am so excited about what your future at Morehouse College has in store. You stand on the brink of immense possibility — each one of you.”
Founded in 1867, Morehouse was established to turn newly freed slaves into teachers and preachers. Now, the college promotes the mission of developing men with disciplined minds who will lead lives of leadership and service. The college’s list of notable alumni includes the likes of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, director Spike Lee, and many others.
This year, the school welcomed students from 39 states and seven countries. One of them is freshman Brian Grant Jr. from Katy, Texas.
“Being around all this Black excellence has been very special to me,” Grant said. “It’s not really something [I see] where I come from, so I’m very excited to be here.”
Although many orientations are centered on the students, Morehouse does an intentional job of including parents in early parts of the experience. The meaning of the family engagement is not lost on Paul Larkin, associate dean of student life and leadership at Morehouse.
“I hope students resonate with Parent Parting the most,” Larkin said. “Parents, guardians, villages have poured in so much for students to make it here. Although they’ve made it to Morehouse College, I don’t want them to forget that foundation. I don’t want them to forget where they came from, and I don’t want them to forget who’s rooting for them and supporting them along the way.”
Sammie Jones, mother of freshman economics major Quan Jones, talked about how empowering this week was for not only her son, but also their family.
“This experience has been so amazing,” Jones said. “How the current students have poured into these freshmen and let them know that they are home at Morehouse College. And so I feel comforted knowing that he is home.”
Emotions run deep during the parent parting ceremony at Morehouse College. (Noah Cathey)
This was the first year since 2022 that Morehouse students participated in the Olive Branch Ceremony. The event involves the incoming classes from Morehouse, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morris Brown College.
“My favorite experience by far was Olive Branch with all the schools,” Grant said. “It was great to meet so many people that I will spend four years with. I got to go on stage during a finish-the-lyrics challenge and won.”
East Orange, New Jersey, native Rochelle Johnson dropped off her son Marcus. When giving her son a lasting message, she talked about the gifts she knows he has and the connectedness she felt to his new home.
“I just want him to know that walking through those gates means that he is great,” Johnson said. “Morehouse is a special place, and you got to be special to be here. We felt all of that this week.”
After a week of productions, student-led sessions, emotional moments with family, and bonding with classmates and new peers, Larkin is excited for the Class of 2030 and what lies in store for their time at Morehouse.
“It makes me feel hopeful for the future because Black excellence is who we are,” Larkin said. “It’s not only who we are; it’s who we’ve always been as a community.”
Noah Cathey is a junior journalism major attending Morehouse College. This article is part of Capital B Atlanta’s journalism partnership with HBCU reporters.
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