At the ceremonial beginning of their lives as college students,
Bellarmine University’s president, Dr. Susan M. Donovan, told the newest Knights they “will be fully embraced in a community where you will be cared for and appreciated for your individual strengths.”
The Saturday evening
convocation ceremony in Knights Hall welcomed 670 freshmen into the university. Next, they’ll participate in four days of college orientation activities designed to ensure they’re poised for success when classes begin on August 23.
See
photos from convocation, along with a
video of the full ceremony.
“Your top major, after nursing, is ‘undecided,'” Donovan told the assembled crowd of students and families. “This is actually a good thing. Recent studies have shown a positive correlation between students taking time to
discern a path and higher academic success. So, don’t be too stressed if you are one of the many students here today who doesn’t yet know exactly where your studies will take you.”
Donovan offered the new students three pieces
of advice:
- Be your best self from day one
- Break out of your comfort zone
- Find your inner self
“We believe in you and the capacity that you have to impact the world in which we live," she said.
Other speakers reminded students that failure will be part
of their growth as college students and spoke about the 'Bellarmine difference.'
“Coming to college is both an exciting and intimidating experience,” said Leah Mudd, president of Bellarmine’s Student Government Association.
“You will face obstacles and challenges you have never imagined encountering. College is hard. You will fail at some point, but it’s not the challenges and failures themselves that will change you - it’s how you overcome them.”
Mudd then read the audience a quote from Thomas Merton, the monk and writer whose collection of work is housed at the university: “You do not need to know precisely what is happening or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to
recognize the possibilities and the challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope.”
In emotional remarks, Dr. Andrew Carnes, assistant professor of exercise science, told new students and their
families what he leaned about the Bellarmine community during a recent illness. His colleagues covered his classes and visited him frequently in the hospital, along with students who brought plenty of snacks and cards.
“There’s
no other place where more people are willing to pour out love and compassion, and never ask anything in return," he said. “Here, you’re surrounded by a family who will be at your side at a moment’s notice, who love you simply for being
you.”
