Before Classes Begin, Morehouse Gives Its Freshmen a Lesson in Belonging

Noah Cathey, Capital B

“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.”

Read about the history of Morehouse.

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