At the ceremonial beginning of their lives as college students, 农夫导航鈥檚 president, Dr. Susan M. Donovan, told the newest Knights they 鈥渨ill be fully embraced in a community where you will be cared for and appreciated for your individual strengths.鈥�
The Saturday evening convocation ceremony in Knights Hall welcomed 670 freshmen into the university. Next, they鈥檒l participate in four days of college orientation activities designed to ensure they鈥檙e poised for success when classes begin on August 23.
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鈥淵our top major, after nursing, is 鈥榰ndecided,'鈥� Donovan told the assembled crowd of students and families. 鈥淭his 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鈥檛 be too stressed if you are one of the many students here today who doesn鈥檛 yet know exactly where your studies will take you.鈥�
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
Other speakers reminded students that failure will be part of their growth as college students and spoke about the 'Bellarmine difference.'
鈥淐oming to college is both an exciting and intimidating experience,鈥� said Leah Mudd, president of Bellarmine鈥檚 Student Government Association. 鈥淵ou will face obstacles and challenges you have never imagined encountering. College is hard. You will fail at some point, but it鈥檚 not the challenges and failures themselves that will change you - it鈥檚 how you overcome them.鈥�
Mudd then read the audience a quote from Thomas Merton, the monk and writer whose collection of work is housed at the university: 鈥淵ou 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.鈥�
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.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no other place where more people are willing to pour out love and compassion, and never ask anything in return," he said. 鈥淗ere, you鈥檙e surrounded by a family who will be at your side at a moment鈥檚 notice, who love you simply for being you.鈥�
