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Students Get Warm Welcome At Annual College Fest In Center City

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Thousands of students from 50 Universities and colleges got a warm welcome Saturday to kickoff their school year.

Thousands of students were having a blast at Dilworth Park in Center City for CollegeFest 2017, an annual, all-day welcome party put on by Campus Philly.

"Campus Philly is a nonprofit that partners with the regional colleges and universities to welcome and engage college students and encourage them to stay in Philadelphia after they graduate," said Campus Philly president Deborah Diamond, "and 64% of them do stay after they graduate."

Emily, a freshman at Arcadia University, is from Long Island. She says there's a lot that she wants to take from getting a higher education in Philadelphia.

"I want to explore internships," she said, "and just meeting new people and getting new experiences in life."

Many stood in line for a wristband, which provided free admission to fourteen museums and free rides on the Philly PHLASH for the day.

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