(logo whooshing)
(soft music)
(water burbling)
(soft music continues)
(water burbling)
(soft music)
(water burbling)
- [All] G, V, S, U
(jubilant music)
G, V, S, U G, V, S, U
G, V, S, U lets go.
(melancholy music)
G, V, S, U
(jubilant music)
G, V, S, U
(jubilant music)
G, V, S, U
(jubilant music)
- [Narrator] Grand Valley
State University G-V-S-U.
The letters of our intellectual
home and our community.
- [Narrator] We begin this
academic year in unusual times,
and yet we remain committed to our values,
integrity, inquiry, inclusiveness,
community, sustainability and innovation.
- G-V-S-U opening a world of possible.
(jubilant music)
- President Mandela, the
participants are all assembled
and the convocation is now ready to begin.
Good morning, everyone.
And especially, good morning
to the class of 2024!
I am Felix Ngassa, Professor of Chemistry
and Chair of the
University Academic Senate.
It is indeed an honor
and a privilege to address
you on behalf of the faculty.
I'd like to acknowledge
all of our faculty today,
who are joining us via live-stream.
Although COVID-19 has traded tradition
for something unfamiliar,
all our faculty and staff,
have been working very hard
over the spring and summer
to prepare for this new academic year.
To me, this pandemic has
been a lesson in adapting,
rolling with the punches,
and learning resilience.
We are called to learn from
this unprecedented time
and alter our actions and attitudes
to make our lives better,
stronger and happier.
To the class of 2024,
you had a choice,
in your selection of
where to attend college
and you chose Grand Valley.
First, thank you for choosing us.
Secondly, I want to reassure you
that you made an
extraordinarily wise decision,
in choosing Grand Valley.
To all our students,
we are all part of the Laker Family,
and we are connected by sharing
the same physical space.
This year, more than ever before,
our collective actions would
be essential for the health
and safety of us all
and to maintain the quality
of this physical space.
Please wear your masks,
practice social distancing,
respect all the COVID-19-related policies,
put in place by the university
and most importantly follow
the guidelines from the CDC.
In addition to the challenges
from COVID-19 this year,
we have to deal with other
societal challenges such as
racism, social justice and climate change.
Although this will be a challenging year,
challenges could be opportunities.
I urge you to see
uncertainty and adversity,
as opportunities to
re-evaluate our life's journey
and our role in our society.
Now I have a few words of advice
to you as you start the new academic year.
Number one, manage your time.
Have a daily planner and
update your calendar.
This will help you balance
school, work and family.
Plan ahead should be your
mantra for your academic life.
Number two, seek academic advising.
Meet with your advisor,
as often as you can to stay
on track for graduation.
Number three, go to class
and get to know your professor.
We're all excited and
eager to walk with you.
Ask questions and participate
in class discussions.
Number four, turn in your
assignments and homework.
Yes, grades do matter.
It is better to hand something in late
and get points off
than to get a zero because
you never handed in your work.
Number five, set goals for yourself
and do not procrastinate.
Setting goals for yourself
will help you focus on the
things that truly matter.
Number six, read all of
your syllabi carefully.
The syllabus is your
contract for the course
and I'm sure faculty members
are excited to here this.
There's no excuse
for not being aware of
essential information
that has been provided to you.
In addition, check your
email account daily.
Faculty and staff will use email
to communicate additional
information to you.
Finally, treat everyone
with respect and kindness.
Best wishes for a great academic year.
It is now my pleasure to
introduce our Provost,
and Executive Vice President
for Academic and Student Affairs,
Provost Maria Cimitile
- Hello everyone, thank
you for being here,
in these most unusual circumstances.
The start of the academic year begins now,
with our convocation.
The word convocation
means to call together.
We are called together as a community
not only to begin the academic year
but also to reflection and action.
The challenges we face are not far away.
They are here and immediate.
We stand amid the challenge
of overcoming a pandemic,
creating a just society
and maintaining a democratic republic.
There is no better place
to take on these challenges than here
at Grand Valley State University.
Students you are called upon
to find out how you will contribute
to solving these challenges.
We need medical professionals
to provide for the health
of our communities.
Experts in statistics
and quantitative analysis
to be sure we have accurate
and timely information.
Public administrators who
know how to plan functional
and thriving communities.
Artists and writers who
can express our hopes,
fears and realities.
And these are but a few
areas that society needs.
The wonder of our university,
is that however you find yourself called,
you will have everything you need here
at Grand Valley to succeed.
Most importantly, whatever
career path you choose,
you will be grounded
in a liberal education.
You can be assured
that alongside your
preparation for your career,
you will find new facets of yourself,
study the human condition
and further develop the skills
that are so vital right now.
Critical thinking, ethical reasoning,
collaboration, cultural competency.
That is what makes the Grand
Valley experience unique
and it's why Lakers make a
difference to our communities.
The faculty and staff are
experts in their fields
and will guide you as
you explore your choices
and find how you will best serve society.
I urge you to connect with the faculty.
In their teaching and scholarship,
they will open worlds to you
that you could never have imagined.
It is their joy to stand beside you,
as you make your way on
your intellectual journey.
Faculty, we have taken on the challenge
of teaching during a time
of tumultuous change.
Your expertise, your
commitment to our students
and your unwavering dedication
to academic excellence,
are needed now more than ever.
Our calling is educating students.
Our students need you now more than ever.
Our society needs you now more than ever.
Together we will emerge
through these difficult challenges
and time in our history.
I have every faith
that each of us will embrace their calling
to serve the needs around us,
standing in our tradition
of transformative education
for the good of one another and society.
As Lakers, we will stand
together. Thank you.
I would now like to
introduce our next speaker,
who will offer remarks on
behalf of the students.
Autumn Mueller is in her
third year at Grand Valley.
She is a political science
major and marketing major
and currently serves as the Vice President
of Educational Affairs
for the Student Senate.
Autumn, we look forward
to hearing from you.
- Hello, my name is Autumn Mueller,
and I am so pleased to be standing here
with you this morning.
To be beginning this new school year,
this unique moment in your life and mine.
This moment in history,
is going to be one that
will surely be remembered
but it should also be celebrated
because we all made it this far.
And that isn't to be said
without having to face our hardships
like so many of us have.
So first things first,
let's start with a warm welcome
to the class of 2024.
Let us not forget our
new transfer students
and to welcome home
our returning students.
Welcome to our excellent faculty and staff
and to everyone standing
along the stage with me.
Now when I reflect on my time
that I've spent at Grand Valley,
certain memories and people come to mind.
One of which is a particular
student organization
that brought me to be on this stage today,
Student Senate.
This year will be my
third year at Grand Valley
and my third year on Senate,
I valued and cherished the time
that I was able to spend with those,
who also surrounded themselves
with notions of student government.
I will also continue to do so
as I finish my education
at this institution.
Student government has
been a passion of mine
since I was a freshmen in high school,
where I was consecutively
student body president
for four years.
As I transitioned into college life,
the pattern of student
government continued
as I secured a spot on Student Senate
and then a year later
became the Vice President
of Educational Affairs.
Throughout these past two years,
I met some of the best of my best friends,
amazing administrators
and faculty that I
genuinely love working with.
Student Senate has brought some of
the best people into my life.
If I could give any piece
of advice to a student,
it would be to search for an organization,
club or sport that you
are passionate about.
Involvement could potentially leave you
with some of the best
memories of your life
and will give you,
something to remember your
college experience by.
I say that because it's
happened to so many of my peers
and to myself.
As I continue the people
that Grand Valley,
makes me think of most
are the ones I surround myself with.
Whether I'm away from home or if I'm here.
My parents, my brother and my friends,
have guided me through the years
that I've spent at this institution.
Always cheering me on,
giving me support when I need it most
and pushing me to work harder.
Having people in your life,
giving you those three
things is important.
So find those people and remember them.
Remember to also be those people
for your family and your friends
because they could still
be searching for them.
Surround yourself with
people who have dreams,
desires and ambitions.
They will help you realize your own.
With all that being said.
I want to thank you for listening
and your patients as we navigate
through this time together.
it's an honor to be amongst
such accomplished individuals
and to be able to present my perspective
and share my words.
At this time, I am honored to welcome,
President Philomena Mantella.
- Good morning, I want
to begin my remarks today
and kick off our year
by talking about what so many of us
are finding elusive these days.
Joy, no matter what is
happening around us,
we have choices to make
about our thoughts.
Where do we allow them to take us.
I am of course carrying many
concerns and apprehensions,
as perhaps you are
but I'm choosing to feel
the great joy and excitement
of welcoming you all to campus.
No matter whether you are
here with us or online.
Opening up an academic year,
no matter what the challenges
and changes we face together,
can be enriched by a joyful heart
and the recognition
that our time is finite
and our opportunities are
either limited or limitless,
depending on our perspective
to see possibilities or see constraints.
We have a very special learning community
at Grand Valley State University.
Thank you for being a part of it.
Thank you to our provost,
our deans, our senior team,
all of our esteemed faculty,
our dedicated staff and
our inspiring students,
who fulfill our mission every day,
even in a time of unprecedented challenge.
Thank you to our Board of Trustees,
who are exceptional in
guiding and supporting,
Grand Valley State University,
in our quest to equip you
with a liberal education,
infused with professional skills
and wrapped by a community
obligated to and enriched by,
one another for a lifetime.
We often talk about life and the learning
that takes place along
the way as a journey,
rather than a destination
because we know that
throughout our lifetimes,
we will continue to learn.
When you marry the words joy and journey,
you find quotations
from ministers to moguls
because almost everybody wants joy,
in whatever journey is
that they are taking.
The CEO of Apple, Tim Cook reminds us,
"Let the joy be in your journey,
not in some distant goal."
Don't wait for perfection,
make a path infused with
justice, joy, and happiness.
No matter what the twists and
turns your journey will take.
Goals are critical
but they shouldn't blind
us to the pieces and parts,
the sights and sounds along
the way to achieving them
and they should be resilient
as we learn, adapt and grow.
New possibilities are around every corner.
Let's look back at our
journey through this year.
We did not have COVID
or social distancing
on our lists of goals.
You likely remember
applying to Grand Valley
and the moment you got accepted.
Many of you filled social media with #GVSU
and shared your joy with the world.
You thought your path was steady,
all the way to Allendale in Grand Rapids.
While you were doing that
I too was beginning a new journey.
A journey here as your president.
I had my journey figured out.
I was busy holding huddles
with all the faculty,
staff and students,
so we could map out a collective plan
for the next chapter of
these great university.
You and I had full plates,
full hearts and full minds.
We were goal oriented
and following our plan.
Well, you know what they say
about the best laid plans,
COVID-19 gripped the world
and hit the United States in March,
and we've been finding our foothold,
adjusting, reforming, recommitting
to our paths ever since.
My path, I imagine like yours,
has been more challenging.
Faced with many more unknowns
and has required me to
learn more in a single year
than perhaps any year I can remember.
Except maybe those very early years,
where every day you're doing something
that you absolutely
have never done before.
But I can also say honestly
that my excitement,
when we break through a new barrier
or recover from an unexpected failure
or chart our own path as a university,
is filled with great joy
because there's only one journey
and I'm blessed to be on it
with people who care about me
and care for each other.
The right path for all of us,
at this one of many defining
moments is together,
reaching for what's next
at this great university
with all the choices that come
from intellectual pursuits,
rich experiences and a
true sense of community.
Yes, our journeys are ours
but we have had the vivid reminder
that they are intertwined
during this pandemic
and I am encouraging all
to recognize the profound
impact we have on one another.
Remember every challenge
brings opportunities
and this one is no different.
We have new opportunities
in the way we work,
the way we meet
and the way we learn.
We have thrown off the constraints
that we may have seen for years.
We're free, free to innovate.
Free to create,
free to lead through
unchartered territory.
This convocation is but one example.
Different perhaps, distance perhaps
but full of joy and
promise for a great year.
The world needs our innovation, our energy
and it is waiting for your ideas.
My dream was to lead a university
and a community that
cared more for its mission
and each other than for
its personal interest.
A university that understood
that learning is a reciprocal process,
where every discovery and exploration,
a single student makes,
profoundly impact how we learn
and understand the world.
I found that at GVSU.
Sure, there's gonna be
necessary differences,
in the Laker experience this year,
but not in our values
nor in our commitments
to you and to each other.
Here are a few inspiring lines
as we begin our walk together
from Roy T. Bennett, "Light Of The Heart."
"Don't just learn, experience.
Don't just read, absorb.
Don't just change, transform.
Don't just criticize, encourage."
You came to this university to experience,
absorb, transform, to encourage others
and to be encouraged.
We are here for you
and yes, we are filled with
joy that you are a Laker.
- We, the class of 2021 challenge you,
not just to learn but to experience.
- We the class of 2022
challenge you not just to read
but to absorb.
- We the class of 2023 challenging,
not just to change but to transform
- We the class of 2024,
challenge you to not only
criticize but to encourage.
♪ Have you ever felt
like no body was there ♪
♪ Have you ever felt forgotten ♪
♪ In the middle of no where ♪
♪ Have you ever felt like
you could disappear ♪
♪ Like you could fall
and no one would hear ♪
♪ Uh oh well let that
lonely feeling wash away ♪
♪ Maybe there's a reason
to believe you'll be okay ♪
♪ 'Cause when you don't feel
strong enough to stand ♪
♪ You can reach ♪
♪ Reach out your hand ♪
♪ And oh, someone will coming running ♪
♪ And I know, they'll take you home ♪
♪ Even when the dark
comes crushing through ♪
♪ When you need a friend to carry you ♪
♪ And when you're broken on the ground ♪
♪ You will be found ♪
♪ So let the sun come streaming in ♪
♪ 'Cause you'll reach up and rise again ♪
♪ Lift your head and look around ♪
♪ You will be found ♪
♪ You will be found ♪
♪ You will be found ♪
♪ You will be found ♪
♪ There's a place where we
don't have to feel unknown ♪
♪ And every time that you call out ♪
♪ You're a little less alone ♪
♪ If you only say the word ♪
♪ From across the silence ♪
♪ Your voice is heard ♪
♪ You are not alone ♪
♪ You are not alone ♪
♪ You are not alone ♪
♪ You are not alone ♪
♪ You are not alone ♪
♪ You are not alone ♪
♪ You are not You are not alone ♪
♪ Even when the dark
comes crushing through ♪
♪ When you need someone to carry you ♪
♪ And you're broken on the ground ♪
♪ You will be found ♪
♪ 'Cause you'll reach up
and you'll rise again ♪
♪ If you only look around ♪
♪ You will be found ♪
♪ Even when the dark
comes crushing through ♪
♪ You will be found ♪
♪ When you need someone to carry you ♪
♪ You will be found ♪
♪ You will be found ♪
♪ You will be found ♪
- Thanks to everyone for attending
the convocation celebration.
These convocation proceedings
are now concluded.
(jubilant music)
(soft music)
