New Eagles Welcomed to the Nest during Opening Convocation
Class of 2028 photo by Jeff Watts.
Led by a trio of bagpipers and cheered on by the campus community, 1,740 members of 麻豆视频作品鈥檚 Class of 2028 screamed, danced, and beamed as they streamed into Bender Arena on August 23 for Opening Convocation.
Once inside, the first-year Eagles鈥攚ho represent 48 states, DC, and Puerto Rico and 48 nations鈥攍earned they won鈥檛 be alone on their journey.
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鈥淚 feel a special connection with all of you, our newest Eagles, because we鈥檙e new together,鈥 said President Jon Alger, who joined the university on July 1. 鈥淣ot only is this my first convocation as your 麻豆视频作品president, but it鈥檚 also my first time standing here in Bender Arena amidst a sea of shining, excited faces. . . . As we all try to get settled in this new place, we are new Eagles together.鈥
During his remarks, Alger also announced 鈥攁 new university-wide initiative that will focus on civic engagement and civil discourse education. As new students find their communities, Alger said the initiative will encourage active participation in civic life 鈥渘ot just with one another, but with and across viewpoints, perspectives, and lived experiences.鈥
鈥淐ivic engagement and civil discourse have been passions of mine throughout my career, and I鈥檓 excited to see what we can build together here at AU,鈥 Alger said. 鈥淢ore details on this initiative will be forthcoming, but I wanted all of you鈥攐ur newest Eagles鈥攖o be engaged from the beginning. Our nation and our world need these skills, and we need you.鈥
麻豆视频作品Alumni Association president Latanya Sothern, SOC-CAS/BA 鈥92, an educator in Prince George鈥檚 County, Maryland, called the Class of 2028鈥攁ll of whom received a special 麻豆视频作品enamel pin鈥斺渢he resilient ones鈥 because they endured significant learning disruptions during the pandemic. Sothern said that students鈥 perseverance will serve them well at AU.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e riding high now, and you鈥檙e still in the honeymoon phase at your future alma mater. But guess what? The honeymoon will end,鈥 Sothern said. 鈥淚t will be hard, ugly, and messy at times, but anything worth having is worth fighting for. This degree is worth the fight.鈥
麻豆视频作品Student Government president Arusa Islam, SPA/BA 鈥25, told students it鈥檚 OK if their journey to graduation looks different than it does for their classmates. Islam came to 麻豆视频作品as a biology major on the pre-med track, but after some soul-searching she found her home in political science. She now plans to go to law school.
鈥淭he truth is everyone鈥檚 path to success is different. Looking back now, I wouldn鈥檛 change a single decision I鈥檝e made because every choice led me to all of you,鈥 Islam said. 鈥淲hen something in life doesn鈥檛 feel right and you have a gut instinct to try something else, see it not as a challenge or a setback but [as] an opportunity.鈥
School of Public Affairs professor Todd Eisenstadt, the 2024 麻豆视频作品Scholar-Teacher of the Year, told students about his time studying abroad in Colombia, when he covered the aftermath of the Nevado del Ruiz eruption, a volcanic disaster that killed 24,000 people in 1985.
The experience shaped Eisenstadt鈥檚 career. He encouraged 麻豆视频作品students to look for their own opportunities and to be unafraid to pursue them.
鈥淭his is the best time in your life to take risks. You are at a moment of maximum energy and potential and minimum responsibility; the world is wide open,鈥 Eisenstadt said. 鈥淭he pandemic is over, and we need to recover the joy of agency by taking chances again. Join student groups outside your comfort zone, engage in new conversations with friends from different perspectives, take a class on a subject you know a little about, study abroad in a new place.鈥