Andrew Lusk Shields

Transcription

>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING, GUYS. >> FIND US ON FACEBOOK, A CAPELLA AUDITIONS WILL BE POSTED ALL AROUND CAMPUS SO LOOK OUT FOR THEM IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN JOINING. HAVE FUN [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> WELCOME. IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS TIME TO ADVISE OF OUR EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND TO POINT OUT THE LOCATIONS OF THE EXITS. YOU'LL BE AN INFORMED BY AN ANNOUNCEMENT OR THE SOUNDING OF THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM IN THE EVENT OF AN EDGE ME REQUIRING EVACUATION. IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, WE ASK THAT YOU LEAVE IN A CALM AND ORDERLY FASHION THROUGH THE EXITS NEAREST YOU WHICH ARE IDENTIFIED BY EXIT SIGNS. THANK YOU. [ ♪ BAGPIPES ♪ ] [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> LET'S START THIS OFF RIGHT. THE LETTER R THE LETTER I THE LETTER T. R.I.T. JOIN ME, PLEASE. R.I.T. R.I.T. R.I.T. YEAH! [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM DR. JEREMY HAEFNER, RIT's PROVOST AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS. I AM SO HAPPY TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO THIS CONVOCATION FOR NEW STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY OUR GUESTS OF HONOR -- OUR NEW STUDENTS. WE ARE DELIGHTED THAT YOU HAVE [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] WE ARE SO DELIGHTED THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN R.I.T. FOR YOUR JOURNEY INTO HIGHER EDUCATION. WE HAVE CHOSEN TO BEGIN THIS JOURNEY WITH A FORMAL CEREMONY WHICH FEATURES SEVERAL COMPONENTS OF A VIBRANT ACADEMIC COMMUNITY -- ACADEMIC REGALIA, OUR MACE, AND A FORMAL PROCESSION, JUST TO NAME A FEW. AND WHAT A JOURNEY IT WILL BE. FILLED WITH FRIENDS, FACULTY, AND FRENETIC TIMES, AND FUN. IT WILL BE A FANTASTIC INTELLECTUAL ADVENTURE. SO LET'S GET STARTED. PLEASE JOIN ME AND STAND FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, TRADITION HERE AT R.I.T. LED BY THE EIGHT BEAT MEASURE, ONE OF OUR MANY STUDENT MUSIC GROUPS, AND DEAF SIGN PERFORMERS BETH MacLAREN, TIMOTHY HOLMES, NIC SHAW, AND BYRON EVANS. ♪ OH SAY, CAN YOU SEE BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT ♪ ♪ WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED ♪ ♪ AT THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING ♪ ♪ WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS ♪ ♪ THRU THE PERILOUS FIGHT ♪ ♪ O'ER THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING ♪ ♪ AND THE ROCKET'S RED GLARE THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR ♪ ♪ GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE ♪ ♪ OH, SAY DOES THAT STAR-SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE ♪ ♪ O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE ♪ [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> PLEASE BE SEATED. THANKS AGAIN TO THE MEMBERS OF EIGHT BEAT MEASURE AND OUR DEAF SIGN PERFORMERS. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR BAGPIPERS AND DRUMMERS -- LEX SLEEMAN, WHO DOUBLES HERE AT R.I.T. AS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS/NCAA COMPLIANCE, AND HIS COLLEAGUES -- MEMBERS OF THE GATES KEYSTONE CLUB POLICE PIPES AND DRUMS, AND VOCAL ACCENT, ANOTHER OF OUR STUDENT MUSICAL GROUPS WHO ENTERTAINED YOU AS YOU ARRIVED FOR THIS CEREMONY. LET'S GIVE THEM ALL AN R.I.T. ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [ APPLAUSE ] WELL DONE. I AM SURE YOU NOTICED THAT BOISTEROUS GROUP OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE GREETING THE STUDENTS AS THEY ENTERED THE FIELD HOUSE. THEY ARE FACULTY AND STAFF, MANY OF WHOM ARE ALSO R.I.T. ALUMS, WHO GATHERED TO WELCOME YOU ALL AS THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE R.I.T. FAMILY, AND TO EXPRESS HOW MUCH THEY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. TO ALL THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE TIGER WALK, THANK YOU FOR THAT HIGH-SPIRITED, HIGH-ENERGY WELCOME. NO ONE CAN BEAT YOU WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING STUDENTS FEEL WELCOMED. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] NOW, R.I.T. IS THE PROUD HOME OF THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF, ONE OF ONLY TWO INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES FUNDED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE EDUCATION OF DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING STUDENTS. NTID, AS IT IS KNOWN ON CAMPUS, IS ONE OF OUR NINE COLLEGES AND SUPPORTS MORE THAN 1,400 STUDENTS WHO UTILIZE THE OUTSTANDING SERVICES OF OUR FACULTY, PROFESSIONAL INTERPRETERS, CAPTIONISTS, AND OTHER STAFF. WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THIS CEREMONY WILL BE ENRICHED BOTH THROUGH REALTIME CAPTIONING AND BY THE PRESENCE AND EXPERTISE OF OUR PROFESSIONAL SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS. WE THANK THE INTERPRETERS AND OUR REAL-TIME CAPTIONIST FOR THEIR DEDICATION TO THEIR IMPORTANT WORK. THANK YOU. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] THERE ARE A FEW SPECIAL GUESTS AND MEMBERS OF THE PLATFORM PARTY WHO JOINED US TODAY TO CELEBRATE YOUR ARRIVAL. MEMBERS OF THE R.I.T. BOARD OF TRUE TEES ARE THE ONES WHO PROVIDE THEIR VISION AND EXPERTISE IN LEADING R.I.T. PLEASE JOIN ME IN THANKING THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS. WITH A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [ APPLAUSE ] OUR ALUMNI ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF OUR UNIVERSITY. THEY ARE HERE TO HELP AND SUPPORT YOU, OUR STUDENTS, THROUGHOUT YOUR JOURNEY AT R.I.T., AND THEY LOOK FORWARD TO YOU JOINING THEIR RANKS WHEN YOU GRADUATE A FEW YEARS FROM NOW. PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING ORLANDO ORTIZ, CLASS OF 2009 AND REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS. ORLANDO, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND. WE THANK YOU AND OUR MORE THAN 114,000 ALUMNI WORLDWIDE FOR THEIR CONSTANT SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT. THANK YOU. NEXT I ASK THAT DR. MICHAEL LAVER, DR. RYNE RAFFAELLE, DR. KEVIN McDONALD, AND MS. LAUREN SHIELDS TO PLEASE STAND. DR. LAVER, WHO LED THIS AFTERNOON'S PROCESSION CARRYING THE MACE, IS ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HISTORY IN THE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS, AND CHAIR OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE. HE IS HERE TODAY REPRESENTING THE R.I.T. FACULTY. [ APPLAUSE ] DR. RAFFAELLE IS ASSOCIATE PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH. AND DR. McDONALD SERVES AS ASSOCIATE PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION. LAUREN SHIELDS IS CHAIR OF STAFF COUNCIL. SHE IS HERE REPRESENTING THE ENTIRE R.I.T. STAFF. THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US IN THIS CELEBRATION. [ APPLAUSE ] NOW, MANY OF OUR PARENTS AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET OUR OUTSTANDING DEANS IN COLLEGE MEETINGS EARLIER TODAY. I AM PROUD TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE THEM TO YOU AGAIN, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME, TO OUR STUDENTS. DEANS, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME AND REMAIN STANDING UNTIL ALL HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED. AND MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE, PLEASE HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE UNTIL THAT TIME. DR. H. FRED WALKER, DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF APPLIED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. DR. JACQUELINE MOZRALL, INTERIM DEAN OF THE SAUNDERS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS. DR. ANDREW SEARS, DEAN OF THE B. THOMAS GOLISANO COLLEGE OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SCIENCES. DR. HARVEY PALMER, DEAN OF THE KATE GLEASON COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING. DR. DANIEL ORNT, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE INSTITUTE OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY, AND DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY. DR. LORRAINE JUSTICE, DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF IMAGING ARTS AND SCIENCES. DR. JAMES WINEBRAKE, DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS. DR. JAMES HALL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDIES. DR. GERARD BUCKLEY, PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF, AND VICE PRESIDENT AND DEAN, R.I.T. AND LAST DUH NOT LEAST, DR. SOPHIA MAGGELAKIS, DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE. LET'S GIVE THEM A HEARTY R.I.T. ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] NOW, AS WE CONTINUE OUR JOURNEY TOGETHER, YOU WILL COME TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE TAKE OUR ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACADEMIC, INTELLECTUAL, PERSONAL, AND PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF YOU, THE CLASS OF 2018 AND 2019, VERY SERIOUSLY. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU ARE IN GOOD HANDS. ACTUALLY, YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN THE GOOD HANDS OF OUR CRACKERJACK ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT AND CAREER SERVICES STAFF, WHO WORKED TIRELESSLY TO BRING ALL OF YOU HERE -- APPROXIMATELY 2,700 FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS, AND MORE THAN 600 TRANSFER STUDENTS -- FROM EVERY STATE IN THE NATION AND 43 COUNTRIES WORLDWIDE. THROUGH THEIR EFFORTS, YOU BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY WITH FELLOW STUDENTS WHO, LIKE YOU, ARE BRIGHT, AMBITIOUS, AND EAGER TO LEARN. EACH OF YOU BRINGS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCES AND TALENT THAT WILL ENRICH OUR COMMUNITY. THE ENTIRE UNIVERSITY APPRECIATES THE EFFORTS THAT THE STAFF FROM ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT AND CAREER SERVICES PUT FORTH IN BRINGING THIS EXCEPTIONAL CLASS TO R.I.T., AND THEREFORE, IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE AND ANTICIPATION THAT I FORMALLY WELCOME AND ACCEPT THIS INCOMING CLASS OF 2018-2019. WELCOME! [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] NOW HERE'S THE GOOD NEWS -- YOU WERE IN THE GOOD HANDS OF THE ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT AND CAREER SERVICES AND NOW YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN THE GOOD HANDS OF NOT ONLY ACADEMIC AFFAIRS, BUT THE STAFF FROM STUDENT AFFAIRS. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A HEARTY WELCOMING OF DR. SANDRA JOHNSON, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS. DR. JOHNSON IS NEW TO R.I.T. HERSELF. JUST LIKE YOU ALL. SO SANDY, WE ARE THRILLED TO WELCOME YOU TO THE R.I.T. FAMILY. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> WELCOME. LIKE MANY -- WHOOPS -- OF YOU, THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR AT R.I.T. AND MY FIRST EXPERIENCE SIGNING. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] I AM EXCITED TO LEARN WITH ALL OF YOU, AS WE EMBARK ON A JOURNEY TOGETHER. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] NOW, BEFORE I SIGN SOMETHING WRONG, I AM GOING TO TURN OVER TO THE EXPERTISE OF OUR INTERPRETERS. THANK YOU. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] LET ME TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK ALL OF OUR UPPER-LEVEL STUDENT LEADERS WHO HAVE TIRELESSLY WORKED OVER THE SUMMER AND THE PAST WEEK TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM POSSIBLE. THEY ARE OUR ORIENTATION LEADERS -- LEAD OAs, OAs FROM NTID, RESIDENT ADVISORS, AND OUR PALs FROM THE INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OFFICE. I WOULD ASK FOR ALL OF THESE UPPER-CLASS STUDENT LEADERS TO PLEASE RISE, AND THEN IF EVERYONE COULD SHOW YOUR AT GRUED WITH A ROUND OF APPLAUSE. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] THANK YOU THANK YOU I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE STAFF IN THE OFFICE IN THE CENTER FOR ORIENTATION AND TRANSITION PROGRAMS -- SHAWNA LUSK, AMANDA METZGER, AND HANNAH FESSLER -- FOR THEIR TREMENDOUS EFFORTS IN DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING THIS ORIENTATION PROGRAM. I KNOW YOU WILL AGREE THAT THEY HAVE DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB. [ APPLAUSE ] NOW, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, BROTHERS, SISTERS, FRIENDS, FACULTY, ADMINISTRATORS, CURRENT STUDENTS, ALUMNI GUESTS, AND THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF THE R.I.T. COMMUNITY, YOU, OUR NEW FIRST-YEAR AND TRANSFER STUDENTS, I AM DELIGHTED TO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF WELCOMING YOU TO R.I.T. AND THE START OF THE 2014-2015 ACADEMIC YEAR. STUDENTS, I HOPE YOU FOUND TIME TO RELAX THIS SUMMER WHILE ALSO ANTICIPATING AND PREPARING FOR TODAY, WHEN YOU JOIN A COMMUNITY OF SCHOLARS WHO SEEK KNOWLEDGE AND THE FORMATION OF SHARED VALUES. YOUR ACCEPTANCE LETTER WAS OUR INVITATION TO YOU TO JOIN THIS COMMUNITY AND CONTRIBUTE TO OUR RICH HISTORY, AND WE ARE DELIGHTED THAT YOU HAVE ACCEPTED OUR INVITATION. EACH OF YOU BRINGS A WIDE RANGE OF AMBITIONS AND EXPECTATIONS. WE DO NOT EXPECT, NOR DO WE WANT, FOR YOU TO BE ALIKE. WE RESPECT YOU AS INDIVIDUALS. AS YOU BRING TO R.I.T. YOUR UNIQUE HOPES, DREAMS, TREPIDATIONS, AND EXPERIENCES. OUR HISTORY IS YOUNG, BUT WE BELIEVE THAT HISTORY MATTERS, AS IT HELPS US TO GROW AND DEVELOP AS AN INSTITUTION. HISTORY IS TRULY A LIVING TEXTBOOK: EACH DAY ADDS A NEW PAGE, AND I EXPECT EACH OF YOU TO CONTRIBUTE TO RIT's HISTORY BOOK. MOST OF THE TIME, YOU WILL DO SO WITHOUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT. IT WILL HAPPEN WHEN YOU DELIBERATE WITH THE FACULTY OR YOUR PEERS, SOMETIMES ARGUING FORCEFULLY, SOMETIMES LISTENING QUIETLY, BUT ALWAYS CHALLENGING ASSUMPTIONS WHILE RESPECTING AND DEVELOPING A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD AROUND YOU. AT THE END OF YOUR TIME HERE, IT WILL BE OUR DISTINCT HONOR TO CELEBRATE THE LASTING IMPACT EACH OF YOU HAS MADE ON R.I.T. AND FOR YOU TO RELISH THE CHANGES IN THE MANNER OF YOUR OWN THINKING. YOU WILL MAKE R.I.T. BETTER AT WHAT WE DO BY BEING THE BEST AT ALL YOU DO. EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM KNOWS THAT COLLEGE ASKS A LOT OF YOU. YOU WILL BE CHALLENGED IN COMPLETELY NEW WAYS -- IN THE CLASSROOM, IN THE RESIDENCE HALLS, BY YOUR PEERS, AND BY YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THE NUMEROUS PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES HELD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON OUR CAMPUS. IT WON'T ALWAYS BE EASY, BUT THAT'S GOOD. CHALLENGE IS WHAT YOU WANT, BECAUSE CHALLENGE IS HOW YOU GROW AND YOU REACH YOUR GOALS. TO REACH THOSE GOALS, YOU HAVE TO TAKE STEPS, STARTING TODAY. CHALLENGE YOURSELF TO BE ENGAGED, PAY ATTENTION, AND ASK YOURSELF EVERY DAY WHAT YOU CAN DO TO SURPASS YESTERDAY. PUSH YOUR COMFORT ZONE. TALK TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIFFERENT INTERESTS AND DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS THAN YOU. MAKE YOUR ACADEMIC PATH THE PATH OF YOUR DREAMS, NOT THE CONVENIENT OR SAFE ROUTE, OR THE DREAMS OF OTHERS. AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, GET INVOLVED IN THE LIFE OF THIS VIBRANT CAMPUS. YOU WILL HAVE A MORE MEANINGFUL AND MEMORABLE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE IF YOU OPEN YOURSELVES TO THE LEARNING, AND THAT HAPPENS IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM. I'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT CHALLENGE, BUT KNOW YOU WON'T DO THIS ALONE. YOU WILL HAVE MANY PEOPLE TO SUPPORT YOU AS YOU FIND YOUR PATH AND DEFINE YOUR GOALS. TO ASSIST YOU WITH YOUR TRANSITION TO COLLEGE, YOU'RE GOING TO ENCOUNTER REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DIFFERENT OFFICES THAT MAKE UP THE DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS, AS WELL AS OTHER OFFICES ON CAMPUS. WE ARE ALL COMMITTED TO YOUR GROWTH AND SUCCESS THROUGHOUT YOUR TIME AT R.I.T. SO TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF AN INSIDE SCOOP TO WHAT LIFE AT R.I.T. IS LIKE, I'M GOING TO INVITE YOU TO WATCH A LITTLE VIDEO THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER FOR YOU. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> WOW! I HOPE YOU ARE EXCITED, I KNOW I AM. AND WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT TODAY'S EVENT IS THAT IT MARKS A NEW BEGINNING. YOU, OUR NEW STUDENTS, ARE OUR HOPE FOR A BETTER FUTURE. SO EMBRACE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON BEHALF OF THOSE LESS FORTUNATE AND TO LEAD THIS WORLD IN THE REFORM OF THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, CULTURAL, POLITICAL, AND TECHNOLOGICAL ARENAS. AND AS YOU CONSIDER THE WAYS THE WORLD IS CHANGING AND WILL CHANGE, AND IMAGINE YOUR PLACE IN IT, KNOW THAT YOUR R.I.T. EXPERIENCE WILL FUEL YOUR SEARCH FOR BOTH PURPOSE AND MEANING. TODAY IS THE BEGINNING OF YOUR LIFELONG ENGAGEMENT, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, WITH THIS GREAT UNIVERSITY, AND TO BEGIN ADDING TO ITS RICH HISTORY. AND, STUDENTS, WHEN YOU ARE FEELING OVERWHELMED, AS EVERY SINGLE STUDENT DOES, KEEP IN MIND YOU WILL SURVIVE, AND WE ARE HERE TO HELP. WELCOME TO R.I.T. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] ONE OF THE PLEASURES I HAVE SERVING AS THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF STUDENT AFFAIRS IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR STUDENTS AND WATCHING THEM DEVELOP INTO SCHOLARS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS, ENTREPRENEURS, ARTISTS, PUBLIC SERVANTS, MUSICIANS, BANKERS, TEACHERS, ATHLETES, DOCTORS, SCIENTISTS, YOU GET THE PICTURE. BASICALLY, THEY ARE THE LEADERS OF TOMORROW. AND TODAY YOU WILL HAVE THE HONOR OF HEARING FROM ONE OF R.I.T.'S FINEST LEADERS IN THE MAKING, ASHLEY CARRINGTON. [ CHEERS ] ASHLEY IS A DUAL MAJOR IN FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS. SHE IS ONE OF THE FOUNDING MEMBERS OF RIT's DELTA SIGMA PI-EPSILON LAMBDA CHAPTER, A PROFESSIONAL CO-ED BUSINESS FRATERNITY. SHE IS THE RECIPIENT OF NOT ONE BUT TWO OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS STUDENT LEADERSHIP AWARDS. SHE SERVES AS A MENTOR TO MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILDREN IN ROCHESTER. SHE WAS A GLOBAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY INTERN WITHIN THE ASSET MANAGEMENT LINE OF BUSINESS AT JPMORGAN CHASE. AND IN HER SPARE TIME, SHE IS LEARNING SIGN LANGUAGE. AND, OH, I ALMOST FORGOT, SHE'S THE PRESIDENT OF THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION FOR THIS ACADEMIC YEAR. ARE YOU GETTING A BETTER PICTURE OF WHAT AN R.I.T. STUDENT LOOKS LIKE? I HOPE SO. SO PLEASE WELCOME ASHLEY CARRINGTON TO GIVE YOU THE INSIDE SCOOP ON STUDENT LIFE AT R.I.T. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> HELLO, R.I.T.'s INCOMING CLASS OF 2018-2019, AND WELCOME TO R.I.T. [ APPLAUSE ] MY NAME IS ASHLEY CARRINGTON, AND I AM SERVING AS THE PRESIDENT OF OUR STUDENT GOVERNMENT FOR THE 2014-2015 ACADEMIC YEAR. IT WAS THREE YEARS AGO THAT I WAS SITTING IN THE SAME EXACT SEATS THAT YOU ARE SITTING IN. I WAS NERVOUS, TIRED, HUNGRY, AND EXCITED ALL AT THE SAME TIME. COME TO THINK OF IT, THERE WERE PROBABLY TOO MANY EMOTIONS GOING ON FOR ONE PERSON TO BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND. BUT DON'T WORRY. I GOT THROUGH THE DAY, AND YOU WILL, TOO. WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE, I WANTED TO MEET NEW PEOPLE AND TRY NEW THINGS. MY ONLY QUESTION WAS: HOW? HOW DO I MEET THESE NEW PEOPLE, AND HOW DO I HAVE THESE NEW EXPERIENCES IN THIS NEW CHAPTER OF MY LIFE? I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD THIS BEFORE, BUT JOINING ONE OF THE MANY CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS ON CAMPUS IS ONE OF THE FASTEST WAYS TO CONNECTING YOURSELF WITH R.I.T.'S COMMUNITY. I CAME HERE LOOKING FOR THOSE NEW PEOPLE AND EXPERIENCES, TOO. ONE DAY EARLY IN MY FRESHMEN YEAR I WAS WALKING THROUGH THE TUNNELS AND SAW "APPLY NOW FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT FRESHMAN SENATOR." WHILE WALKING, I SAID, THAT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY. I GET TO MEET LOTS OF NEW PEOPLE AND TRY NEW THINGS, SO I APPLIED. I WENT THROUGH A FEW ROUNDS, AND GOT A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, BUT THEN IT CAME. I GOT MY FIRST -- BUT THEN IT CAME. I GOT MY EXPERIENCE, AND IT SAID, AN E-MAIL SAYING THAT I WILL UNFORTUNATELY NOT BE ACCEPTED AS A FRESHMAN SENATOR. I EXPERIENCED MY FIRST FAILURE IN COLLEGE, AND IT HURT. BUT IT'S OKAY, BECAUSE THAT DAY, I DECIDED TO CONTINUE TO GET INVOLVED, AND TO CONTINUE TRYING NEW THINGS. I BECAME AN ATHLETE, JOINED A MAJOR STUDENT ORGANIZATION, HELPED RE-ACTIVATE A FRATERNITY, AND OVERALL MET LOTS OF NEW PEOPLE AND TRIED LOTS OF NEW THINGS THROUGHOUT MY TIME. I GUESS YOU CAN SAY MY GOAL OF MEETING NEW PEOPLE WAS ATTAINED. NOW, HERE'S SOMETHING TO REALIZE ABOUT COLLEGE, SOMETHING THAT YOU MAY OR MAY NOT ALREADY KNOW. I KNOW THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU IS GOOD. YOU HAVE TO BE GOOD IN ORDER TO BE HERE AT R.I.T. YOU ALL DID SOMETHING TO GET YOU IN. MAYBE YOU SCORED HIGH ON YOUR S.A.T.s, MAYBE YOU'RE A STUDENT ATHLETE. MAYBE YOU'RE ONE OF THE TOP RANKED PEOPLE IN YOUR CLASS, AS I'M SURE MANY OF YOU ARE. WHATEVER THE REASON WAS, YOU WERE ACCEPTED. BUT THAT MOMENT YOU STEPPED ONTO THIS CAMPUS, YOU NO LONGER ARE THE HIGHEST SCORER, THE BEST PERFORMER, OR THE TOP OF YOUR CLASS. YOU ARE NOW SURROUNDED BY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO WERE ALSO THE BEST. COLLEGE BEGINS WITH AN EQUAL PLAYING FIELD. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO GO BEYOND WHAT YOU HAVE KNOWN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO BE CHALLENGED BY OTHER HIGH PERFORMING INDIVIDUALS AND REALLY PUSH YOUR LIMITS. THIS IS YOUR TIME TO BE GREAT, BUT IT WILL TAKE TIME. IT WON'T COME EASY, AND WILL NOT BE HANDED TO ANY OF YOU. I'M GOING TO LET YOU IN ON A LITTLE SECRET THAT MAY SOUND CRAZY, BUT YOU CAN HOLD ME TO IT. YOU WILL LEARN MORE ABOUT YOURSELF DURING YOUR COLLEGE YEARS THAN YOU HAVE OVER YOUR ENTIRE LIFE. MOST OF YOU WILL EXPERIENCE FAILURE AT LEAST ONCE WHILE HERE. IN FACT, YOU MIGHT EXPERIENCE IT MANY TIMES. YOU MAY GET THAT EMAIL ONE DAY SAYING THAT YOU UNFORTUNATELY DID NOT GET THE JOB YOU APPLIED FOR, OR YOU MIGHT CHECK MYCOURSES AND DID NOT GET THE QA "YOU EXPECTED. REMEMBER THAT FAILURES WILL COME, BUT FOR EACH FAILURE BRINGS A NEW SET OF OPPORTUNITIES. IF I HADN'T CHOSEN TO JOIN MORE ORGANIZATIONS, STILL BE INVOLVED AND TRY NEW THINGS AFTER I RECEIVED THAT HEARTBREAKING EMAIL SAYING I DIDN'T GET ACCEPTED FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT FRESHMAN SENATOR, THEN I WOULDN'T BE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE STANDING HERE AND SPEAKING TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TODAY. FAILURE DOES NOT DEFINE YOU. FAILURE OPENS THE DOOR FOR YOU TO BECOME SOMETHING GREATER THAN WHAT YOU WERE BEFORE. SO IT'S OKAY TO BE NERVOUS. IT'S OKAY TO BE TIRED. IT'S OKAY TO BE HUNGRY. IT'S OKAY TO BE EXCITED, AS LONG AS YOU TAKE ALL OF THOSE EMOTIONS AND RE-APPLY THEM IN A POSITIVE WAY AND STRIVE TOWARDS SUCCESS. THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT GREATNESS IS IT IS NOT DEFINED BY WHAT YOU DO, BUT RATHER BY WHO YOU ARE, AND EACH INDIVIDUAL ESTABLISHES THEIR OWN BENCHMARK FOR GREATNESS. EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU CAME TO R.I.T. GOOD, BUT NOW IT'S YOUR TIME TO BE GREAT. THANK YOU. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] SO NOW I WILL BE CALLING DR. HAEFNER BACK UP TO THE STAGE. [ APPLAUSE ] >> ASHLEY, SANDY, WELL DONE. I THINK YOU'VE CONVINCED EVERYONE HERE THAT THE NEW STUDENTS ARE TRULY IN GOOD HANDS . I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AS YOU BEGIN YOUR TENURE AS VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS AND STUDENT GOVERNMENT, NOW PRESIDENT. AS ASHLEY SAID, THERE ARE SCORES OF OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE TO YOU AT R.I.T. THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY AHEAD OF YOU IS THE TEACHING AND LEARNING THAT IS R.I.T.'S HALLMARK. R.I.T. IS BLESSED WITH AN OUTSTANDING FACULTY DEDICATED AND COMMITTED TO HELP YOU TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY BY MAKING SURE THAT THE EDUCATION YOU RECEIVE IS RIGOROUS, CUTTING-EDGE, PERSONAL, RELEVANT, AND SECOND TO NO OTHER UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE. ALSO DEDICATED TO MAKING SURE YOU ARE IN GOOD HANDS, THE FACULTY CARE DEEPLY ABOUT YOU AND YOUR INTELLECTUAL GROWTH. THEY WILL CHALLENGE YOU ACADEMICALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT GROWTH OCCURS. YOUR OBLIGATION IS TO ACCEPT THIS CHALLENGE, TO BE ENGAGED, IN FACT, AS SANDY SAID, CHALLENGE THEM, AS WELL. BUT DO SO RESPECTFULLY AND THOUGHTFULLY, BECAUSE THAT IS HOW THEY WILL TREAT YOU. SO WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM YOUR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY? HERE TO HELP ANSWER THIS QUESTION IS DR. SEAN HANSEN. DR. HANSEN IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS, AT THE SAUNDERS COLLEGE OF BUSINESS. AND LAST SPRING, HE WAS AWARDED RICHARD AND VIRGINIA EISENHART PROVOST'S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING, A UNIVERSITY-LEVEL AWARD GIVEN TO AN UP-AND-COMING FACULTY MEMBER WITH THREE YEARS OR LESS TEACHING EXPERIENCE AT R.I.T. THE AWARD RECOGNIZES EARLY SIGNS OF TEACHING EXCELLENCE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO MORE GREAT THINGS TO COME FROM DR. HANSEN. PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING DR. SEAN HANSEN. SEAN? [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> SO ALONG WITH EVERYONE ON THE DAIS, LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING WELCOME. AND I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN WE SAY WELCOME WE DON'T MEAN IT IN THE OFFHANDED HI SORT OF WAY THAT WE OFTEN USE THAT WORD. WE MEAN IT IN A MORE PROFOUND SENSE AS WHEN WE SPEAK OF PARENTS WELCOMING A NEW CHILD. DON'T WORRY, I'M NOT CALLING ANY OF YOU CHILDREN BUT I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU JOIN THIS COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE ARE, WE'RE A COMMUNITY. YES, WE'RE AN ORGANIZATION, AN INSTITUTE. BUT AT OUR CORE, WE'RE REALLY JUST A HUMAN COMMUNITY THAT'S TIED TOGETHER BY SHARED VALUES. THINGS LIKE INNOVATION AND ADVANCEMENT OF KNOWLEDGE, COLLABORATION AND TEAM WORK, RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER IN ALL OF OUR DEPTH AND RICHNESS OF EXPERIENCES, AND ABOVE ALL, COMMITMENT TO THE INTELLECTUAL AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE WHO STUDY HERE. BUT AS WITH ANY COMMUNITY, OUR GROWTH, OUR DEVELOPMENT, AND OUR VIBRANCY IS CONDITIONED ON CHANGE. WE NEED REGULAR INFUSION OF NEW BLOOD, NEW IDEAS, NEW PERSPECTIVES AND THAT'S WHAT YOU BRING TO THIS COMMUNITY. YOU'RE THE PROMISE OF GROWTH AND REINVENTION FOR US. AND WE VOW TO WORK EVERY DAY TO RETURN THE VALUE THAT YOU PROVIDE TO US. SO WELCOME TO R.I.T. TODAY I WANT TO SUGGEST FOUR KEY PRINCIPLES THAT YOU SHOULD KEEP IN MIND DEFINITELY AS YOU START YOUR R.I.T. JOURNEY BUT ALSO AS YOU GO THROUGH, AS YOU CONTINUE. AND FORTUNATELY THESE FOUR PRINCIPLES REINFORCE ONE ANOTHER AND UNFORTUNATELY I THINK ALL FOUR HAVE BEEN -- MAYBE IT'S FORTUNATE -- HAVE BEEN TOUCHED UPON A LITTLE BIT ALREADY SO I FEEL VERY UNORIGINAL HERE, BUT I'LL JUST TELL MYSELF THAT GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE. THE FIRST PRINCIPLE IS THE ONE I OPENED WITH, COMMUNITY. MY SIGNING IS VERY WEAK SO I'M ONLY GOING TO SIGN FOUR WORDS SO IF I JUST GAVE YOU THE SIGN FOR GOLF CLAP, I'M SORRY. I'M A PROFESSOR OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND I RECOGNIZE THAT MOST OF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, OR ONLY HAVE A VAGUE IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS. AND DON'T WORRY, I'M NOT GOING TO TRY TO EXPLAIN IT TODAY. BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY THAT IN THE STUDY OF SYSTEMS, THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THINGS -- THE RELATIONSHIPS -- MATTER AT LEAST AS MUCH AS THE THINGS THEMSELVES. AND THE SAME IS TRUE OF YOUR UNIVERSITY YEARS. THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT YOU FORMAT TORE AT LEAST AS MUCH AS THE "THINGS," -- THE BOOKS, THE COURSES, THE GRADES. 20 YEARS FROM NOW, YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO REMEMBER WHAT GRADE YOU GOT IN COMPUTER SCIENCE 1 OR DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS BUT YOU JUST MIGHT REMEMBER THE PERSON WHO SAT NEXT TO YOU IN CLASS, OR THAT FRIEND WHO HELPED YOU CRAM FOR THE EXAM, AND HOPEFULLY, THE PROFESSORS WHO GUIDED YOU THROUGH IT. FOR MANY OF YOU, YOUR COLLEGE YEARS WILL BE YOUR FIRST EXTENDED TIME AWAY FROM YOUR FAMILIES. AND I RECOGNIZE THAT THAT CAN BE DAUNTING. BUT IT ALSO HOLDS AN OPPORTUNITY, WHICH IS THE CHANCE TO CREATE YOUR OWN "FAMILY." BEFORE ANY OF THE PARENTS IN THE ROOM FREAK OUT, LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT I MEAN. [ LAUGHTER ] LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT I MEAN BY THAT. I MEAN THAT YOU GET TO CHOOSE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SURROUND YOURSELF WITH, AND YOU GET TO CHOOSE THE CLOSE FRIENDSHIPS WHICH, IF NURTURED WELL -- AND I SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE -- WILL LAST YOU A LIFETIME. BUT TO ACHIEVE THAT MEANS YOU'VE GOT TO JUMP IN WITH BOTH FEET. YOU'VE GOT TO GET INVOLVED AND AS WE'VE HEARD YOU HAVE LOTS OF OPTIONS. IT MIGHT MEAN JOINING A CLUB OR GETTING INVOLVED IN INTRAMURALS, OR GETTING INVOLVED IN THE ZOMBIE HUNT THING THAT'S GOT ME DODGING RAMPAGING BANDS OF STUDENTS FOR A COUPLE WEEKS EVERY FALL. BUT JUST GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY. NOW, WE'RE A TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY, SO I RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE OUR SHARE OF INTROVERTS. I THINK YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. BUT EMBRACE IT, BE PROUD OF IT, BECAUSE WE NEED ALL TYPES OF PERSONALITIES HERE BUT DON'T LET IT STOP YOU FROM REACHING IT TO ONE ANOTHER, TO EACH OTHER, TO YOUR PEERS, TO YOUR ADVISERS, AND CERTAINLY TO YOUR PROFESSORS. I WANT YOU TO EMBED YOURSELF WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY. NOW, JUMPING IN REQUIRES COURAGE, AND THAT'S THE SECOND PRINCIPLE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT. COLLEGE IS A TIME TO EXERCISE, BUILD AND EXERCISE, YOUR COURAGE. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE ZOMBIE HUNT THING AGAIN ALTHOUGH THAT SEEMS VERY SCARY. I'M TALKING ABOUT TAKING CHANCES, DOING THINGS THAT ARE NOT QUITE WITHIN YOUR RANGE. AND THIS CAN BE MEAN LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS. IT COULD BE TAKING AN ELECTIVE IN A COURSE THAT IS WAY OUTSIDE YOUR DOMAIN, OR TAKING A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN A CLASS OR A CLUB, STARTING A BUSINESS. JUST ABOUT ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE NOT QUITE SURE IS IN YOUR GRASP. YOUR TIME HERE IS LIKE A SANDBOX. YOU CAN TEST THINGS OUT, TRY OUT DIFFERENT IDEAS, AND SOMETIMES YOU'RE GOING TO SUCCEED AND AS ASHLEY GAVE US A GREAT ILLUSTRATION OF, SOMETIMES YOU'RE NOT BUT THAT'S OKAY. EITHER WAY, YOU CAN STOMP OUT THAT SANDCASTLE AND BUILD A NEWER ONE, A BETTER ONE. COMPARED TO THE PROFESSIONAL PURSUITS THAT LIE AHEAD, THIS IS A TIME OF RELATIVELY LOW RISK, SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE COURAGEOUS AND EXPLORE. NOW, ON THIS POINT I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A QUOTE THAT IS SOMETIMES ATTRIBUTED TO THE GREAT GERMAN WRITER JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE. I'M TOLD THAT HE NEVER ACTUALLY WROTE IT BUT IF I'VE LEARNED ONE THING IN MY TIME TEACHING HERE, IT'S THAT THE BEST WAY TO CONNECT WITH YOUNG ADULTS IN THE 21st CENTURY IS TO REFERENCE 18th CENTURY GERMAN WRITERS. I THINK WE'VE ALL HAD THAT EXPERIENCE, RIGHT? WHOEVER SAID IT FIRST MATTERS LITTLE, BUT THE IDEA IS VALUABLE -- THIS IS WHAT HE SAID, OR SUPPOSEDLY. "UNTIL ONE IS COMMITTED, THERE IS HESITANCY, THE CHANCE TO DRAW BACK. CONCERNING ALL ACTS OF INITIATIVE (AND CREATION), THERE IS ONE ELEMENTARY TRUTH, THE IGNORANCE OF WHICH KILLS COUNTLESS IDEAS AND SPLENDID PLANS: THAT THE MOMENT ONE DEFINITELY COMMITS ONESELF, THEN PROVIDENCE MOVES TOO. ALL SORTS OF THINGS OCCUR TO HELP ONE THAT WOULD NEVER OTHERWISE HAVE OCCURRED . WHATEVER YOU CAN DO, OR DREAM YOU CAN DO, BEGIN IT. BOLDNESS HAS GENIUS, POWER, AND MAGIC IN IT. BEGIN IT NOW." NOW, THE THIRD PRINCIPLE I WANT TO OFFER TODAY IS CURIOSITY. ASK QUESTIONS. CHALLENGE ASSUMPTIONS, ESPECIALLY YOUR OWN. I DON'T SAY THIS AS A PROFESSOR WHO DREADS THAT MOMENT OF SILENCE WHEN I FIRST CALL FOR QUESTIONS. EVERYONE SORT OF LOOKS AROUND AT ONE ANOTHER. ACTUALLY, I'M LYING. THAT IS PART OF MY MOTIVATION FOR RAISING THIS. BUT THE MORE IMPORTANT POINT IS THAT ASKING QUESTIONS IS WHAT MOVES US FORWARD AS A SOCIETY. WHERE WOULD WE BE IF EINSTEIN HADN'T BEEN PLAGUED BY QUESTIONS? NEWTON HAD ALREADY SAID IT ALL, RIGHT? SO WHY DID EINSTEIN HAVE TO UPSET THE APPLE CART? NO PUN INTENDED. BY WHICH I MEAN COMPLETELY INTENDED. BECAUSE IT WAS IN HIS NATURE. THE NATURAL WORLD WAS AN ENDLESS SOURCE OF WONDER. HE COULDN'T HELP BUT ASK QUESTIONS AND SEEK ANSWERS AND THAT'S WHAT I HOPE FOR YOU AS WELL. NO MATTER WHAT FIELD OF STUDY YOU CHOOSE. THIS IS THE IDEA WE CALL CONSTRUCTIVE DISCONTENT, CONSTRUCTIVE DISCONTENT. IT MEANS NOT BEING SATISFIED, ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES. A BETTER FUTURE. WHEN A PROFESSOR SAYS SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND -- OR BETTER YET, THAT YOU DON'T AGREE WITH -- ASK A QUESTION. POSE A CHALLENGE. RESPECTFULLY, PLEASE, BUT INSISTENTLY, AS WELL. YOUR PROFESSORS WILL FREQUENTLY TELL YOU: IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, OR YOU'RE THINKING OF A QUESTION, CHANCES ARE SOMEONE ELSE IN THE ROOM IS THINKING THE SAME THING. SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU BE THE CURIOUS AND COURAGEOUS ONE WHO PUTS WORD TO IT, PUTS VOICE TO IT. AND ALL OF US WILL LEARN MORE AS A RESULT. NOW, ON MY LAST PRINCIPLE, I'M CHEATING A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE THE FIRST THREE ALL CARTED WITH A C. AND THE LAST ONE DOESN'T EASILY START WITH A C BUT I'M GOING TO CREATE SOME SYMMETRY SO FOR THE SAKE OF SYMMETRY I'M GOING TO CALL IT CARING AND WHAT I MEAN BY CARING IS: GIVING A DARN. I'M GOING WITH "DARN" THERE. WORK HARD. TRY HARD. MY NEPHEW TELLS ME THAT THAT IS A DISPARAGING LABEL THAT GETS USED IN HIS SCHOOL -- "TRY-HARD." SO AND SO IS A "TRY-HARD," MEANING THAT THEY ARE MOCKED FOR TRYING TOO HARD IN SCHOOL. AND I JUST HATE THAT. I'M GUESSING RIGHT NOW SOME OF YOU ARE SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE THINKING WELL, YEAH, SURE, HE HATES IT. HE'S OBVIOUSLY A TRY-HARD. [ LAUGHTER ] BUT THAT'S NOT WHY I HATE IT. I HATE IT BECAUSE WE NEED THE TRY-HARD. THAT'S WHAT MOVES US FORWARD. WE NEED PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO POUR THEMSELVES INTO A TASK, WHO WANT TO EXCEL AND ARE WILLING TO INVEST THE BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. PEOPLE WHO WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT NOBODY ELSE HAS DONE BEFORE. THOSE ARE THE INNOVATORS AND THE HEROES. I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD IT SAID BEFORE IN MANY OTHER ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE, BUT A UNIVERSITY IS REALLY A PLACE WHERE YOU GET OUT OF IT WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT. I'M A MEMBER OF THE GENERATION THAT HAS LAMELY BEEN DUBBED "GENERATION X. JUST SORT OF RAN OUT OF LABELS. BUT WE WERE THE ORIGINAL SLACKERS AND I WOULD URGE YOU TO REJECT THAT ELEMENT OF YOUR CULTURAL INHERITANCE. SO TO COUNTERBALANCE MY PSEUDO GOETHE QUOTE I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN INSIGHT FROM THE GREAT BUT DIMINUTIVE 21st CENTURY PHILOSOPHER KEVIN HART. HIS MANTRA IS -- "EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE FAMOUS, BUT NOBODY WANTS TO PUT THE WORK IN." THAT'S JUST NOT HOW IT WORKS UNLESS YOUR LAST NAME IS KARDASHIAN. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] MENTAL NOTE: ALWAYS GO TO THE KARDASHIANS FOR APPLAUSE. IN CONVOCATION SESSIONS LIKE THESE WE TALK A LOT ABOUT DREAMING AND THAT'S IMPORTANT. DREAMS ARE IMPORTANT. WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO ASPIRE TO. BUT DREAMS WITHOUT WORK TEND TO GO UNFULFILLED. WORK HARD, AND YOU WILL ACHIEVE GREAT THINGS. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO GIVE IN THE WAY OF WISDOM. BUT NOW, I WANT TO ENGAGE IN A LITTLE EXERCISE AS YOU EMBARK ON THIS NEW CHAPTER IN YOUR LIVES. SO CLOSE YOUR EYES. I CAN'T ACTUALLY SEE YOUR FACES SO IF YOU'RE NOT CLOSING YOUR EYES, I WON'T KNOW BUT THIS WILL BE MORE FUN IF YOU DO. NOW, PICTURE YOURSELF STANDING ON THE EDGE OF A HIGH-DIVE PLATFORM. IT'S A LITTLE SCARY, YOU'VE KIND OF GOT THAT UNEASY FEELING IN YOUR STOMACH, I IMAGINE A COUPLE OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS FEELING ONCE OR TWICE OVER THE LAST COUPLE DAYS. BUT DOWN BELOW IN THE WATER, EVERYONE'S HAVING A GOOD TIME. LOTS OF GAMES, A LITTLE BIT OF HORSEPLAY. THERE ARE SOME LESSONS. BUT YOU GET THE PICTURE. NOW, JUMP IN. BECAUSE THE WATER'S GREAT, AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE TO HELP YOU OUT IF YOU HAPPEN TO BELLY-FLOP. SO AGAIN, WELCOME TO YOUR COMMUNITY. WELCOME TO R.I.T. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> DR. HANSEN, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. YOU'VE GIVEN US LOTS TO THINK ABOUT AS WE ALL START THIS NEW JOURNEY TOGETHER, AND I MYSELF WILL KEEP THE KARDASHIANS IN MIND WHEN I WANT APPLAUSE. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] TO FURTHER DR. HANSEN'S POINT ABOUT THE GREAT THINGS THAT CAN HAPPEN BETWEEN FACULTY AND STUDENTS, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A SERIES OF SHORT VIDEOS FOCUSED ON THE AMAZING RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED BETWEEN FACULTY AND STUDENTS. I AM PLEASED AND PROUD TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY THE LATEST IN THE SERIES. PRETTY IMPRESSIVE, EH? MY THANKS TO PRODUCER JOE BELLAVIA, HIS TALENTED STUDENT WORKERS, AND THE STAFF AT R.I.T. PRODUCTION SERVICES IN THE WALLACE CENTER FOR CREATING THIS VIDEO, WHICH IS PART OF A LARGER SERIES OF VIDEOS FEATURING FACULTY AND STUDENTS FROM THE OTHER COLLEGES. AND THE ENTIRE SERIES CAN BE FOUND ON THE PROVOST'S WEBSITE. THERE ARE OVER 4500 UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES IN THE UNITED STATES, AND EACH ONE OF THEM HAS A PRESIDENT OR A CHANCELLOR. BUT YOU WILL NOT FIND A CHANCELLOR OR PRESIDENT WHO IS MORE FOCUSED ON STUDENT SUCCESS AND THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE THAN THE PERSON I'M ABOUT TO PRESENT. IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE RIT's PRESIDENT, DR. WILLIAM DESTLER. HE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY OUR STUDENT ORIENTATION COORDINATORS EMILY LECHNER, BENNETT KEARNEY, EMILY HANNEY, AND NICK NEUMANN. AND THEY WILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT COMES NEXT DURING ORIENTATION, SOME EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, AND THEN WILL CLOSE THIS CONVOCATION. LET'S GIVE A VERY WARM, A VERY HEARTY, A VERY ROBUST WELCOMING TO DR. PRESIDENT DESTLER. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU! AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU FOR CHOOSING R.I.T.! WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN THE YEARS AHEAD. AND TO LEARNING WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY. [ APPLAUSE ] OH, YEAH, I WILL NOT SIGN THE SPEECH, BECAUSE WE'D BE HERE ALL DAY. [ LAUGHTER ] I ALSO WANT TO WELCOME THE PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE HERE TO WISH THEM LUCK ON THEIR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY. I REALLY BELIEVE THAT R.I.T. IS TRULY A "CATEGORY OF ONE" UNIVERSITY. AFTER ALL, WHERE ELSE CAN YOU FIND STUDENTS ON THE SAME CAMPUS STUDYING MEDICAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND ENGINEERING? WHERE ELSE CAN YOU FIND STUDENTS WHO ARE STUDYING BUSINESS AND FURNITURE DESIGN WORKING SIDE-BY-SIDE? WHERE ELSE CAN YOU FIND DEAF STUDENTS AND HEARING STUDENTS WORKING TOGETHER ON TEAM PROJECTS? AND IT IS THIS UNUSUAL COMBINATION OF RIGHT-BRAINERS AND LEFT-BRAINERS, AS I LIKE TO CALL THEM, WORKING TOGETHER THAT MAKES R.I.T. A VERY SPECIAL PLACE. AND IT IS THE PRESENCE ON OUR CAMPUS OF THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF THAT MAKES R.I.T. ABSOLUTELY UNIQUE. IT'S TRUE. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] THIS KIND OF INTELLECTUAL AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY IS AVAILABLE ONLY ON THIS CAMPUS, AND IT PROVIDES AN EXTRAORDINARY OUTSIDE-THE-CLASSROOM EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO ALL STUDENTS. BUT HOW MUCH YOU BENEFIT FROM IT IS REALLY UP TO YOU. I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO FIRST FIND YOUR FOOTING IN YOUR ACADEMIC STUDIES, AND THEN BRANCH OUT INTO THE VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAMPUS ENGAGEMENT THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU. BECAUSE IT IS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO GROW INTELLECTUALLY IN AREAS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF YOUR MAJOR THAT CAN MAKE AN R.I.T. EXPERIENCE SO SPECIAL. NOW, WEE IN ACADEMIA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS EXAMPLES OF HOW TO ENGAGE IN CIVIL DISCOURSE IN AN INCREASINGLY POLARIZED NATION. MANY OF US ARE DISMAYED AT THE EXTENT TO WHICH INTELLIGENT DISCUSSIONS ON COMPLEX ISSUES CAN SEEMINGLY NO LONGER BE HELD WITHOUT THE KIND OF HYSTERICAL ACRIMONY THAT ONLY SERVES TO HARDEN POSITIONS AND MAKE COMPROMISE IMPOSSIBLE. LET US ALL REMEMBER THAT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES OF ALL ORGANIZATIONS MUST REMAIN FORUMS FOR OPEN AND RESPECTED DISCUSSION OF CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES. WE ARE ALL PART OF A LEARNING COMMUNITY, AND MUCH OF OUR LEARNING COMES FROM EACH OTHER. RESPECT FOR THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS, EVEN WHEN WE STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THEM, MUST BE A CORNERSTONE OF OUR CAMPUS COMMUNITY. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] ONE CAUTIONARY NOTE, HOWEVER. THE UNITED STATES IS A WONDERFUL COUNTRY, AND ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT THIS NATION IS THE EXTENT TO WHICH IF YOU FAIL, YOU CAN START OVER. WE'VE SEEN SO MANY EXAMPLES. BUT REGAINING YOUR PERSONAL REPUTATION FOR HONESTY AND INTEGRITY, HOWEVER, IS NOT SO EASY. SO AVOID THE TEMPTATION TO CHEAT OR PLAGIARIZE OTHERS' WORK AS YOU PURSUE YOUR STUDIES. BECAUSE THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE YOU BEGIN TO BUILD YOUR REPUTATION FOR HONESTY AND PERSONAL INTEGRITY THAT YOU WILL CARRY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES. [ APPLAUSE ] AND YOU WILL HAVE OTHER IMPORTANT DECISIONS TO MAKE AS WELL. NOW THAT YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN, YOUR CHOICES AS TO YOUR USE OF ALCOHOL AND DRUGS WILL BE AMONG THEM, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO STEER AWAY FROM ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES OF ANY KIND. [ APPLAUSE ] YOU WILL ALSO BE IN A POSITION TO OBSERVE FRIENDS WHO MAY STRUGGLE WITH DEPRESSION OR SHOW WORRISOME CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTACT YOUR RESIDENT ASSISTANT OR THE R.I.T. COUNSELING CENTER IN SUCH CASES. WE ARE ALL MEMBERS OF THE R.I.T. FAMILY, AND WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER IF OUR COMMUNITY IS TO FLOURISH AS A COMMUNITY OF LEARNING AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL THE FACULTY AND STAFF AT R.I.T. ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU ON THIS JOURNEY, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THEY HAVE TO OFFER YOU. ALSO, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME SHOULD YOU FEEL THAT THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE MAY SERVE YOU BETTER. I LOOK FORWARD TO WATCHING YOUR PROGRESS AND CELEBRATING YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS. AND I WILL SIGN YOUR GRADUATION CEREMONY. FINALLY, GO TIGERS! [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> HELLO. I'M EMILY LECHNER, AND I'M FROM CANTON, OHIO. PARENTS AND FAMILIES, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TO SUPPORT YOUR STUDENT. WE WERE IN THEIR SHOES ONCE AND YAWED OUR EXPERIENCE TO PLAN WHAT WE HOPE IS AN AWESOME WELCOME. WE HOPE THAT YOU FOUND THE DAY TO BE HELPFUL AND INFORMATIVE. EACH OF YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED OUR FAMILY HANDBOOK AND CALENDAR WHEN YOU CHECKED IN. BE SURE TO USE IT AS A RESOURCE THROUGHOUT THIS UPCOMING YEAR WHEN YOU RETURN HOME, PLEASE TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO COMPLETE OUR ONLINE FAMILY PROGRAM EVALUATION. YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE ORIENTATION PROGRAMS. AGAIN, WELCOME. AND WE ARE SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE. [ APPLAUSE ] >> HELLO. MY NAME IS BENNETT KEARNEY, AND I'M FROM DOWNINGTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA. YEAH, MORE PENNSYLVANIANS, ALL RIGHT! [ APPLAUSE ] OUR STUDENT PROGRAM, WHICH BEGAN THIS MORNING AND CONTINUES THROUGH SUNDAY, IS FILLED WITH PRESENTATIONS AND EVENTS TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN THEIR ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL TRANSITION TO THE R.I.T. COMMUNITY. THE PROGRAMS INCLUDE -- ACADEMIC ADVISING AND ACADEMIC DAY. COLLEGE LIFE 101. LIVING AND LEARNING TOGETHER -- WE ARE R.I.T.! SpiRITS. THE TIGER DEN KICKOFF THAT HIGHLIGHTS R.I.T. ATHLETICS. A PICNIC AND CARNIVAL FOR ALL NEW STUDENTS. LIGHTING THE WAY, A WELCOMING CEREMONY FOR R.I.T. WOMEN. A CLUB AND ORGANIZATION FAIR. AND SHUTTLES TO LOCAL SHOPPING AREAS. ORIENTATION ACTIVITIES ALSO INCLUDE FREE ENTERTAINMENT EACH NIGHT, AND WILL CONCLUDE WITH A BANG ON SUNDAY WITH OUR ANNUAL FIREWORKS DISPLAY. ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES WILL ENABLE YOUR STUDENT TO MEET AND CONNECT WITH OTHER NEW AND RETURNING STUDENTS, AND PREPARE THEM TO START CLASSES ON MONDAY. [ APPLAUSE ] >> HELLO. I'M EMILY HANNEY, AND I'M FROM ROCHESTER, NEW YORK. [ CHEERS ] THROUGHOUT ORIENTATION, STUDENTS WILL BE IN SMALL GROUPS AND LED BY AN ORIENTATION ASSISTANT, WHO THEY MET THIS MORNING AND SPENT THE DAY WITH. SELECTED THROUGH A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE PROCESS, THE ORIENTATION ASSISTANTS ARE WELL-TRAINED, UPPER-CLASS STUDENTS WHOSE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES ARE TO ASSIST NEW STUDENTS IN THEIR ADJUSTMENT TO R.I.T. [ APPLAUSE ] >> HI. MY NAME IS NICK NEUMANN AND I'M FROM HONEOYE FALLS, NEW YORK. [ APPLAUSE ] YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH BIG R.I.T. ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS DOESN'T END WITH YOUR ORIENTATION. THERE'S MORE TO COME. THIS YEAR'S INCOMING CLASS HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE A 30-YEAR TRADITION FOR R.I.T., AND TO HELP US START A NEW GLOBAL TRADITION WITH OUR CAMPUSES IN CROATIA, DUBAI, AND KOSOVO. THE 30th ANNIVERSARY OF RIT's BIG SHOT IS BEING CELEBRATED RIGHT HERE IN HENRIETTA, AT THE GOLISANO INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABILITY -- THE BUILDING WITH THE ORANGE WINDOWS -- THE WIND TURBINES, AND THE LARGE GLOWING R.I.T. SIGN. WE WILL GATHER ON SEPTEMBER 6, 2014, COLLECTIVELY LIGHT THE NIGHT SKY, AND PAINT WITH LIGHT. SO NOW WE HAVE A VIDEO TO SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. [ APPLAUSE ] >> AND LIKE WE SAID, YOU ARE THE FIRST R.I.T. INCOMING CLASS TO BE INVITED TO JOIN US IN ESTABLISHING "ONE SpiRIT." WE HOPE THIS WILL BECOME AN ANNUAL TRADITION, TECHNOLOGICALLY LINKING ALL OF R.I.T.'s CAMPUSES HERE IN HENRIETTA AND AROUND THE WORLD IN AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF OUR WORLDWIDE COMMUNITY. ON OCTOBER 11th, THIS YEAR'S "ONE SpiRIT" WILL TAKE THE FORM OF A GLOBAL HOCKEY FESTIVAL. EACH CAMPUS WILL HOST A FUN AND INTERACTIVE PRE-HOCKEY GAME PARTY, BROADCAST THOSE PARTIES TO ONE ANOTHER, AND INTERACT LIVE WITH THEIR PEERS AROUND THE WORLD. HERE IN HENRIETTA, THE EVENT WILL INCLUDE A BBQ EXTRAVAGANZA, LARGE AND LIFESIZE GAMES AND ACTIVITIES, AND LOTS OF SWAG. ALL OF THIS FREE STUFF IS FOR R.I.T. STUDENTS. SO MARK YOUR CALENDARS, JOIN THESE EVENTS ONLINE TO GET MORE INFORMATION, AND GET INVOLVED IN THE CAMPUS TRADITIONS THAT ARE R.I.T. LET'S GO, TIGERS! [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> TO CONCLUDE THE CONVOCATION FOR NEW STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, PLEASE STAND FOR THE R.I.T. ALMA MATER, AS PRINTED ON THE INSIDE COVER OF YOUR PROGRAM, AND LED BY EIGHT BEAT MEASURE AND DEAF SIGN PERFORMERS BETH MacLAREN, TIMOTHY HOLMES, NICHOLAS SHAW, AND BYRON EVANS. AFTER THE ALMA MATER, THE PLATFORM PARTY WILL RECESS DOWN THE CENTER AISLES. PLEASE REMAIN SEATED UNTIL THEY HAVE REACHED THE BACK OF THE FACILITY. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] ♪ HAIL, R.I.T.! TOGETHER STAND ♪ ♪ CREATING GOOD WITH MIND AND HAND ♪ ♪ INSPIRED TO LEARN 'TILL LIFE IS DONE ♪ ♪ AS TEACHERS, LEARNERS, ALL ARE ONE ♪ ♪ WITH PRIDE IN OUR DIVERSITY ♪ ♪ A SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY ♪ ♪ WE ARE THE MEN, THE WOMEN OF ♪ ♪ THE FUTURE HERE, AT R.I.T. ♪ ♪ FROM R.I.T., OUR COURSE IS SET ♪ ♪ WE CELEBRATE A PROMISE KEPT ♪ ♪ A LIFE, A LIVING YOU HAVE TAUGHT ♪ ♪ LET NEW HORIZONS NOW BE SOUGHT ♪