Orientation Features New Faces, Familiar Traditions

Preparation for the new school year at Northfield Mount Hermon ramped up on Aug. 21, as students and faculty flocked back to campus for orientation. Among the highlights of orientation activities and events was the matriculation ceremony in Memorial Chapel, where the newest Hoggers added their signatures to the school's registration books, a tradition that stretches back to 1897.

Head of School Brian Hargrove opened the ceremony by reflecting on the role that school traditions like matriculation play in connecting NMH students throughout history. He emphasized NMH's legacy of commitment to diversity, compassion, and community and challenged the new students to uphold those values in their personal conduct.

"As we matriculate, we want to make sure you know that we are in it together,” Hargrove said. “When we work together, find those common connections, and treat others the way we want to be treated, we go far."

The ceremony also featured a moment of silence from Arisa Teramoto '27, a four-year senior from Japan, who spoke about how the inclusive culture she found at NMH helped her overcome the initial homesickness she felt as a 9th-grader.

Teramoto said her time at the school made her more empathetic and helped her find purpose. "Be present to absorb what NMH has to offer every single moment," she encouraged the new students. "By accumulating those moments, you will feel more comfortable sharing an authentic version of yourselves, feel more belonging, and embrace who you are."

Those sentiments resonated with Will Henderson '28, a transfer student from London. "My passion is basketball, and I'm also quite academic, so I really wanted to find a place where I can do both and take that to college," said Henderson. "The facilities here are kind of unmatched, and there are so many avenues, clubs, and stuff you can get into, which I just find amazing."

Students spent orientation connecting with their classmates and advisors through a variety of activities, playing yard games on the Thorndike Lawn, learning to contra dance, and going bowling.

Joohan Lee '30 said his initial nervousness about attending a new school was quickly dispelled by the warm welcome he found throughout orientation. "I really wanted to come to a new environment and meet new, foreign friends," said Lee, who comes from South Korea. "Japan is my favorite country, and my roommate is a student from Japan, so I'm really excited to learn from him."

Orientation culminated on Aug. 26, as the rest of the student body returned to campus. After an afternoon of catching up with friends, attending informational meetings, and sharing dinner with classmates, students gathered in Memorial Chapel once more for the annual NMH On Stage presentation. A lighthearted introduction to the coming year, NMH On Stage featured games, prizes, video compilations, and announcements from faculty members about academics, workjob assignments, cocurricular activities, athletics, and community etiquette.

Grace Arms '27 offered a moment of silence on beginnings and endings, juxtaposing the excitement of a fresh school year with the impending changes to come after graduation. She meditated on the rituals and routines she developed in her time at NMH and the ways many of them were predicated on the people close to her.

"When your finite time here is over, will you really miss your favorite class, or the teacher and classmates who made that class a highlight of your NMH experience?" Arms asked the crowd. "My advice, if you're willing to take it, is to make this the year where you find and cherish the people you know you'll miss. The people who bring you uncontrollable smiles. The people you'd run to in a heartbeat."

Grant Gonzalez, assistant head of school for campus life, pointed to NMH's early days as a farm school as an example of the grit, teamwork, and resilience that continues to define the institution.

"While we may not necessarily all be working long shifts on the farm before classes, the image still holds, the idea still persists," Gonzalez said. "You are here to learn how to live a life of service and purpose. That type of learning will prepare you to plant seeds of service and purpose in every community you join after NMH. I'm excited to see what takes root during your time here, and I'm excited to see what we will grow together."

— Max Hunt

Photos 1and 2 by Matthew Cavanaugh; photo 3 by Oliver Scott. See more scenes from orientation, the matriculation ceremony, and the start of the 2026-27 school year on Flickr.