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6:25 p.m., Aug. 27, 2007--There was music everywhere as nearly 4,000 first-time UD students filed into the Bob Carpenter Center for New Student Convocation, the University's official welcome to the Class of 2011.
As students entered the lobby, they were greeted by Delaware's only all-female a cappella group, the D Sharps.
Filing into the Carpenter Center, several freshmen shared their thoughts.
“I love it here. I love the layout of the campus. My only apprehension is making classes and the work load,” Dan Ford said. Ford, from Hillsboro, N.J., is a drummer in the Marching Band majoring in wildlife conservation.
Samantha Penda from Camden, said it's a little scary being on your own, “But, everyone's been really nice and welcoming, so, I think it's going to be OK.”
Ambudhi Manchanda, a chemical engineering student from India, said her experience at UD has been “great.” “I love it,” she said. “We've been so welcomed here that I don't even feel homesick.”
Jackie Creasy, a freshman in the Associate in Arts program, said she traveled from her home in Milford to attend Convocation. “It’s very exciting to be here. I’ll be taking classes on the Georgetown campus, and, while I’m sure school is going to be tough, I can see it will be fun too.”
“I'm ready for something different,” Michael Akron, of Wilmington, said. “It's a really good campus and there's a lot to do here.”
As students made their way inside, the UD Gospel Choir sang them to their seats.
After assuring everyone that the officials on the platform, decked out in colorful robes, were not members of a secret Harry Potter cult and that students were not at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, UD Provost Dan Rich congratulated the Class of 2011 on becoming Blue Hens.
"Today's ceremony is called 'New Student Convocation,' and its special purpose is to welcome you, the Class of 2011, as the newest members of the student body of the University of Delaware," Rich said. “Today is the beginning of your new life as a UD student.”
He then called on John Courtright, director of Undergraduate Studies and the Associate in Arts program, to the podium to recognize the associate in arts freshmen followed by the deans of UD's colleges and the director of the University Studies program to recognize the new students in each of their colleges and program.
Back at the podium, Rich introduced the UD Chorale.
Dressed in tuxedos and gowns, the chorale performed, “The Battle of Jericho,” the song they sang when they competed against 40 choirs from around the world to win the grand prize in the 10th International Choir Festival in Tallinn, Estonia. It was the first time since 1994 that an American choir had won the competition.
UD President Patrick Harker took the platform, congratulating the chorale on their achievement and their performance and telling new students that he is a “freshman,” too.
“You are the largest entering class in the history of this institution” and the most diverse, he said.
“You come from across the United States...and the freshman class has students from 18 foreign countries, among them Ethiopia, India, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and China,” Harker said.
“Among you are 33 valedictorians and 27 salutatorians. And, 520 of you had GPAs of 4.0,” he said.
But, in addition to their scholastic achievements, he commended freshman and transfer students for their extracurricular achievements.
“You've been active in sports, clubs, music, the arts and community service, among other activities,” Harker said.
To illustrate the diverse accomplishments of the incoming class, Harker gave a few examples, mentioning Julia Gagliardi, a concert violinist; David Hilgart, who won six Science Olympiad gold medals; Elizabeth Jane Bonomo, who biked from Amsterdam to Paris in 104-degree heat and torrential rain; Zachary Melrose, who started his own Internet-based business at age 13; and Kimmie Meissner who has won world and national figure skating championships.
“Each class is unique; each person is unique and you each bring a wealth of talent across a broad range of activities and ideas to UD,” Harker said.
Harker urged them to stretch themselves, not to be afraid to change. “Many of you come to this campus with strongly held beliefs and most certainly some of those preconceived notions will be challenged over the course of your University of Delaware career.”
He advised them to rely on their core principles, bedrock values and character since “the path forward will not always be clear.”
Be honest, work hard, be caring and understand that you are now a part of something much larger than yourself, Harker said.
He told them that when he was a freshman at his convocation he never would have dreamed that he would someday be the president of a university. “I wanted to be a football player,” he said. But, injuries sidelined him from the football field and a series of achievements in his academic field of civil engineering took him down a different path.
“I offer three pieces of advice from my own experience," Harker said. "Don't be afraid of challenge, don't be afraid of change...reach out to those around you." He concluded by adding a fourth: “Have fun.”
Michael Gilbert, new vice president for student life, welcomed his first UD freshman class and urged students to begin making connections now that will lead them to what they want to achieve at UD in the future. “If you are interested in a particular program or have your heart set on an internship, find out now what you have to do to be ready.”
Casey Patriarco, a junior and president of the Student Government Association, congratulated and welcomed new students. “You have the privilege of being the first class to welcome President Harker and the new Vice President for Student Life, Michael Gilbert. We are excited and grateful for their presence at UD....We also are happy to welcome many other new administrators, faculty and staff who will be important contributors to your collegiate experiences. Personally, I am very excited to be president of the student government during a time when the University is ripe with new possibilities,” she said.
She advised freshmen to “choose the path you want to start in your life today knowing that you will have to adapt along the way and that adaptation is the key to success in life."
Gene Paulus, an alumnus of the Class of 2007, presented the Class of 2011 banner that will be displayed at the class's graduation ceremony.
“I am honored and excited to stand before you as a representative of the more than 130,000 Delaware alumni,” he said.
He called Michael Dickinson, a graduate of Glasgow High School in Newark, to the podium as a class representative to accept the banner.
“Michael, on behalf of the entire University of Delaware community, it is my pleasure to welcome you and the Class of 2011 to the University of Delaware,” Paulus said.
As the formal ceremony ended, Rich asked Tyler Tejada, a senior music major from Middletown, to come to the podium to sing the UD alma mater.
After the platform party recessed, the event turned into a multimedia pep rally. Above the stage, a video flashing exciting moments in UD sports flashed on the screen as UD cheerleaders, dance team and mascot YoUDee lined up to perform.
After rousing numbers by the cheerleaders, dancers and YoUDee, UD fall, spring and winter sports coaching staff members were introduced, including K.C. Keeler, head coach of the Fightin' Blue Hens football team who called on the Class of 2011 to support its sports teams.
The pep rally ended with a stirring performance by the UD Marching Band.
Article by Barbara Garrison
Photos by Kathy F. Atkinson, Duane Perry and Tyler Jacobson