Bright Beginnings: President Pinto hosts glow party for UC first years
Hundreds of Bearcats first-year students enjoy vibrant welcome to campus
UC President Neville Pinto and First Lady Jennifer Pinto hosted a radiant welcome for hundreds of first-year students on campus September 26.
The UC President's Office set Campus Green aglow to properly welcome the University of Cincinnati's first-year students on Friday night. The highlight of the evening came when DJ Peter Pancake challenged UC's 30th President to step into the booth to drop some beats for all the students on the dance floor. He did not disappoint. The students roared when a wave of bass shook the dance floor and Peter grabbed the mic and shouted: "The coolest President in the Big 12!"
UC President Neville Pinto joins DJ Peter Pancake and the Bearcat to drop some beats for UC students on the glowing dance floor. Photo/Lauren Meisberger
UC's 53,682 students this fall represent the largest-ever enrollment and the second-highest first-year class in the history of the university. The night of celebration was designed to thank first-year students who live on campus for choosing to be Bearcats. Besides the DJ and dance floor, attractions included a dirty soda bar, festive facepaint, neon ping pong, glow corn hole, LED mini golf and plenty of food.
Bright Beginnings highlights
UC President Neville Pinto plays the Bearcat in glow ping pong. Photos/Lauren Meisberger
UC freshman have a blast on the dance floor.
Impact Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Tags
- College-Conservatory of Music
- College of Pharmacy
- College of Medicine
- College of Arts and Sciences
- College of Allied Health Sciences
- College of Cooperative Education and Professional Studies
- College of Education, Criminal Justice, & Human Services
- Blue Ash College
- Clermont College
- College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning
- Graduate College
- College of Law
- President's Office
- College of Nursing
- Lindner College of Business
- College of Engineering and Applied Science
Related Stories
UC launches Bearcats Affordability Grant
January 7, 2026
The University of Cincinnati is making college more attainable for students across Ohio with the creation of the Bearcats Affordability Grant. The new grant will provide a pathway to tuition-free college for students of families who make less than $75,000 per year. Beginning in fall 2026, the Bearcats Affordability Grant will cover the remaining cost of tuition for Ohio residents who are Pell eligible.
Lindner graduate students shine in international simulation competition
November 10, 2025
Five master’s of information systems (MS IS) students took home fifth place out of 23 universities at the International ERPsim Competition hosted by HEC Montreal during the recent spring semester. The competition tests students’ knowledge of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and their ability to adapt to challenging business problems.
Sugar overload killing hearts
November 10, 2025
Two in five people will be told they have diabetes during their lifetime. And people who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the deadliest dangers? Diabetic cardiomyopathy. But groundbreaking University of Cincinnati research hopes to stop and even reverse the damage before it’s too late.