Following last fall鈥檚 COVID-forced hiatus, the 香港六合彩生肖号码 returned to tradition on Friday by welcoming the Class of 2025 with a new student convocation held at the Lakefront Arena.
The annual convocation, which included faculty marching in full academic regalia while the sound of 鈥淧omp and Circumstance鈥 poured through the arena, commemorates the start of the academic journey for new students with an opening ceremony.
Thomas Tran and Sophia Cao, both of Marrero, were among the crowd of first-year students waiting to enter the arena.
Both said they were anxiously awaiting their college journey.
鈥淚鈥檓 kind of nervous because it鈥檚 college,鈥 Tran said with a laugh.
Cao added, 鈥淚鈥檓 excited about making new friends.鈥
Tran and Cao, who met in elementary school, plan to major in nursing.
Students鈥攁ll wearing masks鈥攔eceived free 香港六合彩生肖号码 T-shirts and orientation information before heading into the arena for a short ceremony that included speeches by President John Nicklow, Carolyn Golz, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students, and Student Government Association president Amber Lemelle.
Nicklow praised the students for their academic accomplishments thus far, saying that they have taken 鈥渁 leap toward enrichment,鈥 by enrolling at the 香港六合彩生肖号码. However, he told them much work lies ahead.
鈥淚 expect there to be sacrifice and even some struggle in your future. Of course there will be. We are in the middle of a global pandemic, which brings its own obstacles and worries,鈥 Nicklow said. 鈥淚n addition to those your intellect will be challenged. Make no mistake, our expectations of you are high.
鈥淏ut that is not something to fear. Embrace it and focus on your ability to persist; it is all part of higher learning, and you would not be here today if we weren鈥檛 confident in your ability to succeed.鈥
Nicklow shared that the 鈥渨e鈥 he referenced were the administrators seated on the platform behind him, as well as the faculty and staff in the audience and around campus.
鈥淥ur singular goal is to support you, whenever and however you need it, in meeting those expectations,鈥 Nicklow said. 鈥淚t is particularly important that we do that during COVID and keep you on track in spite of any adversity. We can do that through a joint spirit of compassion and flexibility.
鈥We are now part of a shared journey.鈥
Golz encouraged students to step outside their comfort zones and get involved in campus activities, don鈥檛 be afraid to ask for help and to make it a point to be friendly.
鈥淚t takes courage to put yourself out there like that; you might be uncomfortable for a few minutes but the friendships you create can last a lifetime,鈥 Golz said.
Meanwhile, Lemelle reminded the newly minted Privateers that just three years ago, she was the new student.
鈥淚 was excited, I was nervous, I was scared,鈥 Lemelle said. 鈥淚 want y鈥檃ll to know that is normal. If you look around there are so many of you feeling the same thing, and you have each other.
鈥淐ollege is going to be a challenge. It isn鈥檛 supposed to be easy 鈥 I just want you to remember that you can do it.鈥
Lemelle concluded her remarks with a press of a button that punctuated the welcome celebration with an explosion of blue streamers that floated from the ceiling.
Monday marks the first day of classes for the fall session and first-year student Taylor Carrere of New Orleans said she is looking forward to it.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited about meeting new people and starting class,鈥 said Carrere, who plans to major in civil engineering. 鈥淎 lot of my family members have gone here and it鈥檚 close to home.鈥