Fall Highlights on the Hilltop
It’s easy to see why Fall 2023 was another amazing semester at St. Edward’s! It was fueled by the energy and enthusiasm of Hilltoppers — an inspiring, creative, multicultural community of innovative thinkers and problem solvers who are passionate about improving the world.
Enjoy a quick tour of our hilltop moments from the Fall semester in the photos below. Happy viewing! And don’t forget to share with your family and friends.
Embracing the Class of 2027
St. Edward’s University students, faculty, staff and supporters came together to welcome a new cohort of Hilltoppers: the Class of 2027! Our St. Ed’s family helped new and returning students navigate their residence halls during Move-In Days as they settled into their home away from home. Our new students also bonded with their peers over laughter, stories and Topper pride throughout Orientation — creating fun-filled memories that will last for years to come.
Welcome to the Hilltop
Before embarking on their academic journey at St. Edward’s, our new students participated in beloved university traditions during Welcome Days, such as the Medallion Ceremony and Legacy Walk — celebrating their entry into the hilltop family and commitment to success. But the fun didn’t stop there! Hilltoppers commemorated a prosperous year ahead at a pep rally filled with unmatched school spirit, a Block Party serving up tasty food, fun games and bull riding, and a Silent Disco that had everyone dancing!
Fall Events Spark School Spirit
Blue and Gold spirit dominated our campus community and beyond during these spectacular St. Edward’s events. Fall Homecoming led students, alumni and their families back to the hilltop to celebrate Topper pride during Halloween weekend. Just a few days after Homecoming, Hilltoppers took their school spirit from campus all the way across Austin to the Moody Center for the highly anticipated exhibition game between the St. Edward’s and University of Texas men’s basketball teams! Before we knew it, December arrived and our annual Festival of Lights kindled Christmas spirit and brought our community together to observe the holiday season.
A Bittersweet Farewell
Our exceptional semester concluded with a celebration of our Fall graduates at December Commencement! Students, families and friends joined the St. Edward’s community to commemorate our graduating Hilltoppers for their success on their academic journey. Congratulations to our Class of 2023, and we wish you all the best on your next adventure as you take on your world.
More Standout Highlights
St. Edward’s Rises in the Ranks as a Best Regional University in the West
St. Edward’s University advanced to 6th place in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Regional Universities in the West category. In addition to its overall 6th place ranking, St. Edward’s moved up in rankings from #17 to #7 as a top-performing university for Social Mobility. U.S. News has also again ranked St. Edward’s #4 in the Best Colleges for Veterans category and #5 in the Best Value Schools category for 2024.
St. Edward’s University Again Named Fulbright HSI Leader for 2023
For a third year, St. Edward’s received this national recognition from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). The ECA recognizes the noteworthy engagement that selected HSIs have achieved with the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international academic exchange program. St. Edward’s joins only 8% of institutions to receive this designation for 2023 out of nearly 600 HSIs overall.
St. Edward’s Earns National Seal of Excelencia Certification
Excelencia in Education honored St. Edward’s University with the prestigious Seal of Excelencia for its academic success, retention and graduation rates for Latino students. St. Edward’s is the only Catholic university, first private university in Texas and second private university in the U.S. to earn this distinguished three-year certification.
Texas Lawmakers Honor St. Edward’s University for Commitment to Serving Latino Students
The Texas House of Representatives adopted a resolution recognizing the university for earning the national Seal of Excelencia. On Tuesday, November 7, 2023, university leaders, faculty, staff and students joined lawmakers of the 88th Texas Legislature at the Texas State Capitol for the reading of HR 23, a resolution filed by Representative Lulu Flores (HD 51) which recognizes St. Edward’s for receiving the prestigious Seal of Excelencia. This is the second occasion in 2023 Texas lawmakers have acknowledged St. Edward’s at the Texas State Capitol. In the spring, the Texas House of Representatives and Texas Senate adopted a resolution commemorating February 9, 2023 as St. Edward’s University Day — recognizing the hilltop’s long legacy of success and our efforts to enrich communities beyond campus.
