Emory's Class of 2030 Takes Part in Gate Crossing + Coke Toast

The Emory College of Arts and Sciences welcomed its Class of 2030 to campus on Monday, August 24. The first-year students participated in a long-standing tradition called Gate Crossing + Coke Toast.

Dressed in their finest blue Emory T-shirts, the students walked through the historic Haygood-Hopkins Gate together, accompanied by cheers from faculty, staff, fellow students, and alumni.

The procession made its way to the Quad, where Interim President Leah Ward Sears led the group in a Coca-Cola Toast. This tradition honors Robert W. Woodruff, the former CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, who provided Emory with significant philanthropic gifts that helped transform the university into what it is today.