Freshman Year.

The Class of 2026’s first year at Princeton began in a heat wave. Many students assigned to live in New College West and Yeh College were left temporarily in the vestiges of First College. The University distributed more than 600 fans to students to beat back the heavy September heat that had welcomed Princeton’s largest class in its history.

1,500 students strong, the class was the first to experience outdoor Opening Exercises, breaking a longstanding tradition of holding the event in the University Chapel. They listened to the advice of University President Christopher Eisgruber ‘83 to “be fully present in this special and marvelous place.”

At Princeton, the Class of 2026 would learn a new language to communicate their new reality — words like “RCA,” “res college,” “the Street,” “eating club,” and “zee group.” The Princeton endowment generated a loss, its first since the 2008 recession, a foreboding sign of financial turmoil to come. For the first time in 27 years, Princeton men’s basketball won an NCAA tournament game, then advanced to the Sweet 16. South campus grew up with the Class of 2026, resulting in the closure of Poe Field for “more than a year.” By the end of their first year, when students tried to enroll in courses for their sophomore fall, TigerHub crashed. And so it goes.

THE PROSPECT

One tree over a changing campus

By José Pablo Fernández García

NEWS

Largest incoming class in Princeton’s history welcomed in Opening Exercises, Pre-Rade

By Sandeep Mangat

SPORTS

AFTER 27 YEARS: DAVID 59, GOLIATH 55

By Wilson Conn

THE PROSPECT

Adopting a new language

By Isabella Dail

NEWS

South campus construction continues as Poe Field to be closed ‘more than a year’

By Madeleine LeBeau

NEWS

TigerHub crashes for Class of 2026, University denies class size was a factor

By Justus Wilhoit and Lia Opperman

Sophomore Year.

Before the Class of 2026 returned to campus for their sophomore year, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down affirmative action, prohibiting the consideration of race in college admissions. The University responded by refocusing on economic diversity, by March setting an aim for 70 percent of students to receive University financial aid and for 22 percent to be eligible to receive Pell Grants from the federal government.

A tree fell and crashed through a window in Edwards Hall. An alumnus, Larry Giberson ‘23, told a court he was “someone in the service of the nation, and in the service of humanity” before being sentenced for his participation in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot.

The Forbes College dogs, Fonzie and Lionela, continued to bring joy to students. Princeton confiscated 80 scooters in five days after prohibiting them.

In April, campus protests erupted in solidarity with Palestine, culminating in an encampment, a hunger strike, and a sit-in in Clio Hall. A total of 15 student protesters were arrested during the course of the encampment. The University did not yield to protesters’ demands. By the end of sophomore year, Princeton was more in turmoil than it had ever been for the Class of 2026. There would be no respite from the chaos in the coming fall.

NEWS

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION STRUCK DOWN: Landmark Supreme Court ruling to drastically affect Princeton admissions

By Sandeep Mangat

HUMOR

‘It’s an omen’: students react to Edwards tree crashing through window

By Caroline Rasmussen and Arika Hassan

FEATURES

Visiting the Forbes College dogs at home

By Mira Eashwaran and Raphaela Gold

NEWS

Protest supporting Columbia’s ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’ circles Cannon Green on Declaration Day

By Daily Princetonian Staff

VISUAL ESSAY

In Photos: The Clio Hall Sit-in

By Calvin Kenjiro Grover, Ryland Graham, Louisa Gheorghita and Ammaar Alam

Junior Year.

The Class of 2026 entered their third year in the midst of increasing political pressure in Washington against universities. In the face of that pressure, President Eisgruber said that Princeton would not consider institutional neutrality, and would instead keep its policy of “institutional restraint.”

A red wave crashed over the United States in the 2024 presidential election, returning Donald Trump to the presidency. Afterward, students reported “despondency and shock.” Trump’s election heralded changes to come for Princeton. The federal government yanked internship offerings in civic service and research before suspending more than $200 million in federal funding for Princeton research. The loss of research funding, about half of which would be restored over the summer, created “a massive vacuum of knowledge, expertise, innovation” that affected undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty researchers alike.

The Princeton community mobilized in solidarity with one another and in opposition to the federal government’s actions. A May Day protest organized by Resistencia en Acción New Jersey drew more than 700 community members, including students. By the end of the year, more budget cuts remained on the horizon. Cloister Inn closed for renovations in June, leaving its members scrambling for a new home just as the Class of 2026 settled in for their final year.

NEWS

Students report despondency, shock following election red wave

By Hayk Yengibaryan and Justus Wilhoit

OPINION

Flood the Princeton canon

By Christofer Robles

NEWS

May Day protest draws hundreds at Princeton in support of labor, immigration, and Palestine

By Sena Chang and Luke Grippo

FEATURES

‘A massive vacuum of knowledge, expertise, innovation’: Researchers face uncertainties in academia and government amid funding cuts

By Maya Chu

NEWS

Cloister Inn to pause operations for the next 2–3 years, citing “hefty renovations”

By Justus Wilhoit

Senior Year.

During the summer, Congress passed H.R. 1, an omnibus reconciliation package. The bill included an 8 percent endowment tax for universities with large endowments and “more than 3,000 tuition-paying students,” and would have been levied against Princeton. The University responded by boosting financial aid instead, reducing the number of tuition-paying students to avoid the tax and save hundreds of millions of dollars.

The 25-year relationship between Princeton and fossil fuel giant BP ended just after the start of the academic year. Budget cuts took a toll on free food, merchandise, and events in addition to research and student employment. Generative AI use became increasingly common, forcing professors across disciplines to adapt. Major changes were made to campus dining through the elimination of the independent meal option, eliciting opposition from alumni and eating clubs.

Graduate student cohort sizes were reduced, the new Princeton University Art Museum opened to the public, and the University cut employee benefits and reduced the amount employees would receive in raises. Women’s basketball coach Carla Berube left for Northwestern after six successful seasons.

The Class of 2026 leaves behind a Princeton still metamorphosizing. In the coming years, Hobson College will open, funding cuts will continue to affect research, exams will begin to be proctored, students will be less able to cook for themselves, and Princeton will change course from “growth” to “focus.” Perhaps Princeton will continue to improve for future generations — or perhaps the Class of 2026, Princeton’s largest ever, had it all.

OPINION

Could Princeton avoid the endowment tax by expanding financial aid?

By Isaac Barsoum

NEWS

Princeton boosts financial aid despite potential budget cuts, new endowment tax

By Devon Rudolph

NEWS

The future of humanities teaching in the AI age, according to Princeton professors

By Nikki Han

NEWS

Alumni and eating clubs initiate dining plan opposition at Princeton-Harvard game

By Luke Grippo

VISUAL ESSAY

The Princeton University Art Museum, In Photos

By The Daily Princetonian

SPORTS

The Carla Berube era at Princeton

By Hayk Yengibaryan

Congratulations to
the GREAT Class of 2026!

Graduate Students.

Princeton’s doctoral and graduate students were an integral part of the University community throughout the Class of 2026’s four years — and central to the research that federal funding cuts put at risk. Among the most significant moments for the graduate community: the September 2025 release of Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton doctoral candidate in politics and international affairs who had been held captive by Kata’ib Hezbollah for more than two years.

NEWS

Elizabeth Tsurkov released from Kata’ib Hezbollah after more than two years, White House says

By The Daily Princetonian

In Memoriam.

We remember members of the Princeton community who passed away during the Class of 2026’s four years at the University.

IN MEMORIAM

‘A brilliant young contemporary writer and a beautiful human being’: Remembering Lauren Blackburn ’26

By The Daily Princetonian

CREDITS

Web design inspired by the Commencement Issue of 2025