Kicking off the New College Year: Convocation 2012

Campus is buzzing. Move-in finally finished last weekend and classes began on Monday, August 27. In the midst of students trying to get their rooms set up, they found themselves in a flurry of activity. Welcome Week packs in a ton of activities with everything from family picnics, multiple welcoming receptions, walk-in advising hours, a student organization fair, a session on Greek life and more. Telling you about it all just doesn’t fully explain the bustle of activity but the photo gallery certainly helps. Take a LOOK.

The highlight of Welcome Week for me is Convocation. This is the first formal opportunity we have as a community to welcome a talented new class to Loyola. This year, all new freshman and transfer students gathered on the East Quad where I introduced the class to our Vice President for Student Development, Dr. Rob Kelly. Dr. Kelly, our Student Government President, Julia Poirier, and our Young Alumni President, welcomed the class and discussed Loyola traditions and how students will earn keys at various milestones in their college careers.

After that introduction, we lead students on a walk around the Lake Shore Campus. Faculty, staff, and students formed loud, clapping tunnels as students approached the Gentile Arena. Once inside the arena, students were formally welcomed into the Loyola community by top administrators, including President Michael J. Garanzini, S.J. The program was topped off with a talk from Sonia Nazario, the author of this year’s chosen common reading, Enrique’s Journey. Afterwords, students moved into dinner and small group discussion facilitated by Loyola faculty.

Welcome Loyola Class of 2016!!!