2011 RIT Freshman Convocation

>> DR. HAEFNER: Good afternoon
RIT Tigers.
[Cheers and applause.] >> DR.
HAEFNER: I am Dr. Jeremy
haefner, RIT's Provost and
Senior Vice President for
Academic Affairs.
I am happy and honored to
welcome everyone to this
Convocation for New Students and
Families, especially you new
students, our special guests of
honor.
We are delighted that you have
chosen RIT for your journey into
higher education.
We have chosen to welcome you
with this formal ceremony which
features several components of a
vibrant academic community -
academic regalia, the mace and
formal procession, college
banners, and a faculty speaker -
because it signifies the
importance of higher education
and the commitment we make
together to further your
academic career.
Please join me and stand for the
national anthem led by Eight
Beat Measure, one of our many
student music groups, and Deaf
Sign Performers Maya Ariel,
Timothy Holmes and Nicholas
Shaw.
>> 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, through 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.] >>
DR. JEREMY HAEFNER: Please be
seated.
Thanks again to the members of
Eight Beat Measure, maya,
Timothy, and Nicholas.
I also want to acknowledge our
bagpipers and drummers - Lex
Sleeman, who doubles here at RIT
as associate director for NCAA
Compliance and Eligibility and a
wellness instructor, and his
colleagues – members of the
Gates Keystone Club Police Pipes
and Drums.
Let's give Them all a hearty
round of applause.
[Applause] >> DR. JEREMY
HAEFNER: I am sure you noticed
that boisterous group of people
greeting students as they
entered the field house.
They are faculty and staff, many
of whom are also RIT alums, who
gathered to welcome you all as
the newest members of the RIT
family and to express how much
they look forward to working
with you.
We have come to view this
tradition as a bit of a
competition as to which group
expresses the most spirit.
We recognize that group with
tokens to Java Wallys – this
year's spirit winners are the
faculty and staff from the
College of Liberal Arts.
[Cheers and applause.] >> DR.
HAEFNER: Now I'll have to say of
course they brought their
marching band with them so we'll
have to change the rules of the
contest for next year on that
one.
But to all the participants of
the Tiger Walk, thank you for
that exuberant welcome!
RIT is the proud home of the
National Technical Institute for
the Deaf, known on campus as
NTID, 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, one of our nine colleges,
supports 8.8% of our student
body, including several hundred
who attend classes throughout
RIT.
We appreciate the fact that this
ceremony will be enriched both
through real-time captioning and
by the presence and expertise of
our professional Sign Language
interpreters.
Please joining me in thanking
the interpreters and the
real-time captionist for their
dedication to their important
work.
[Applause] >> DR. JEREMY
HAEFNER: I would like to
acknowledge special guests and
members of the platform party
who join with us to celebrate
your arrival.
Members of the RIT Board of
Trustees provide their vision
guidance and expertise in
leading RIT.
Please join me in thanking them
for their efforts.
and being with us today.
[Applause] >> DR. JEREMY
HAEFNER: Next I ask that Paul
Tymann, who led this afternoon's
procession carrying the mace,
and Dr. Hector Flores to please
stand.
Professor Tymann is chair of the
computer science department in
the B.
Thomas Golisano College of
Computing and Information
Sciences and chair of the
Academic Senate, representing
RIT faculty and Dr. Flores is
our new dean for Graduate
Studies.
Gentlemen, thank you for being
here with us today.
[Applause] >> DR. JEREMY
HAEFNER: Many parents and other
family members met 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 New students.
Deans, please stand when I call
your name and remain standing
until all have been introduced;
members of the audience, please
hold your applause until that
time.
Dr. H.
Fred Walker, dean, College of
Applied Science and Technology,
known as CAST; Dr. Ashok Rao,
dean, E.
Philip Saunders College of
Business; Dr. Andrew Sears,
dean, B.
Thomas Golisano College of
Computing and Information
Sciences, known as GCCIS; Dr.
Harvey Palmer, dean, Kate
Gleason College of Engineering;
Dr. Richard Doolittle, acting
dean, College of Health Sciences
and Technology; Dr. Lorraine
Justice, dean, College of
Imaging Arts and sciences Dr.
James Winebrake, dean, College
of Liberal Arts; Dr. James
Myers, director, Center for
Multidisciplinary Studies; he is
unfortunately unable to be here
today.
So representing him and the
center is associate professor
Mary Boyd.
Dr. Gerard Buckley, president,
National Technical Institute for
the Deaf and vice president and
dean, RIT; and finally Dr.
Sophia Maggelakis, dean, College
of Science.
let's give them a hearty round
of applause.
[Applause] >> DR. HAEFNER:
Thank you.
we continue our tradition of the
formal signing by the incoming
class of the 'matricula' –
essentially the book of names of
students.
Students, you'll be able to sign
these matricula books throughout
orientation.
They will then be displayed in
the Wallace Center and available
four or five years from now when
you graduate to review at your
graduation.
I encourage all students to
become a part of RIT history.
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 2015 (and 2016)
very seriously.
In other words, 'you -- what we
like to say is: You are in very
good hands.
Actually, you have already been
in good hands through the
auspices of our crackerjack
Enrollment Management and Career
Services group.
Dr. James Miller, senior vice
president for EMCS, is here on
stage – Jim, will you please
stand?
I would like to acknowledge Jim
and his staff who worked
tirelessly to bring all of you
here – 2750 of you from every
state in the nation and more
than 100 countries worldwide.
Through their efforts, you begin
your journey with students who,
like you, are bright, ambitious
and eager to learn; each of you
with a wealth of experiences and
talent to enrich our community.
Jim, the entire university
appreciates the efforts that you
and your staff put forth in
bringing this exceptional class
to RIT.
It is with great pleasure and
anticipation that I formally
welcome and accept this incoming
class of 2011.
[Applause] [Cheers and
applause.] >> DR. JEREMY
HAEFNER: You started out in the
good hands of our Enrollment
Management and Career Services
staff, and you will continue to
be in good hands with the staff
from the Division of student
Affairs.
Please join me in welcoming to
the podium Dr. Mary-Beth Cooper,
senior vice president for
Student Affairs.
Mary-Beth.
[Applause] >> DR. COOPER: Good
afternoon and welcome to RIT.
My name is Mary-Beth Cooper and
I am the Senior Vice President
for Student Affairs.
I represent over 200 staff that
is here to help you navigate
your experience at RIT.
Before I begin my formal
comments, I would like to take
the opportunity to thank all the
student leaders who made today
possible.
Without these upper-class
students, today would not have
gone as smoothly as it did.
They are -- and if I can have
the lights up a little bit so
they can stand to be recognized.
Our orientation leaders OA's,
resident advisors, and our PAL's
from International, affairs.
Let's give them a round of
applause.
[Cheers and applause.] >> DR.
COOPER: Those student leaders
are why I keep coming to work
every day.
They are the finest in the
nation.
I would also like to recognize
the orientation staff – Shawna
Lusk, Amanda Metzger and Mary
Heiermann – for their tremendous
efforts -- [Cheers and
applause.] >> DR. COOPER: In
creating and implementing our
orientation program.
I know you will agree and many
of you and many of you he
especially the parents have
stopped me to tell me how well
the orientation has gone they
have done an outstanding job.
>> DR. COOPER: Student Affairs
is .
.
.
life outside the classroom.
This includes departments such
as Residence Life, Athletics,
Student Learning Support, Health
Center, Counseling Center, to
name a few .
.
.
all are here to support you and
enhance your experience at RIT.
Life outside the classroom is
extremely important to your
overall learning.
Another aspect of your
experience at RIT is campus
life.
Rather than tell you About it
this year, we've put together a
little video to show you.
Please enjoy the following.
video looking back to events on
campus last year.
[Music] (Cheers) [Music]
(Cheers).
[Music] (Cheers).
>> The best thing about winter.
>> Freezefest.
>> Get rowdy son.
>> Freezefest is awesome.
I love skiing.
[Music] >> Fabulous.
>> Oh, nice deflection and a
goal.
Shane Madolora.
Oh, off the post.
The right side, and it goes in.
(Cheering).
[Music].
>> Let's go orange.
(Cheering) [Music].
>> Oh, yeah.
[Music] [Cheers and applause.]
>> DR. COOPER: Okay so the one
phrase I don't want to hear this
year is there's nothing to do on
campus.
Lots of fun to be had out there.
And it gives me great pleasure
to introduce one of the key
individuals in creating a
vibrant campus life, your -- a
dear friend an inspirational
leader let me introduce to you
your student Government
president, Mr. Greg Pollack.
[Applause] >> GREG POLLOCK:
Have you ever woken up in the
middle of the night after a
strange dream?
And you know, in that very
second that if you don't stop to
write it down, it'll be gone.
But what do most of us do?
We go back to sleep.
As soon as we go back to sleep,
the dream begins to fade away.
And by the time you wake up,
it's gone.
And all that remains is a
fragment, an eyelash of what
once was.
I tell you today my friends,
that if you don't embrace this
moment, capture the thrill of
freedom, the goosebumps, the
bittersweet rollercoaster that
this moment brings, it will be
gone.
so I encourage you to Seize it.
You, you're sitting right where
I was – four years ago.
I know exactly how you felt.
And I know what you're thinking
you're thinking gosh that is an
orange jacket, isn't it?
[Cheers and applause.] >> GREG
POLLOCK: I know.
I know.
It makes quite a statement
doesn't it?
Allow me to introduce myself.
My name is Greg Pollock and I'm
a 5th year here at RIT.
And I want to share a few
stories in the hopes that you
will share yours with me.
Even this jacket started as a
dream.
A former Student Government
President had hoped for a symbol
of campus spirit.
He wanted to create a tradition.
But before he could create it,
he had to dream.
And now, for six years every
president, including the
President of RIT has owned one.
This jacket tells my story,
just as it has for all
presidents before me, to me it's
a symbol of a first year's
dream, my dream, to live my life
to the fullest, I didn't -- but
at that time I really know it
was a dream at the didn't time.
I wasn't sure what to expect –
my mind was buried in a sense of
uncertainty, and the most
prominent question was: Am I
ready?
Wanna know something else?
I'm only four years older than
you, this guy right here this
handsome guy is only four years
older than you.
We're all, from the class of
2007.
Dr. Destler joined the RIT team
when I was only a first year.
I know we don't look it and
honestly I a little bit more
mature I must admit but we're
actually the same age
academically.
It’s a beginning for all of us.
And I have goosebumps too, Just
like you do.
Just look around you my friends.
The world's eyes are on you.
You are the stars of the day,
and it's very exciting for me to
be able to stand before you as a
fellow student.
At RIT, you can make dreams
happen.
Last year, a few students wanted
to take on a world record.
So they set their sights on the
world's largest dodgeball game.
The only thing that stood in
their way was a record held by
the University of Alberta.
2012 players.
They launched a campaign to
rally the students and
frequently, we were taunted and
ridiculed by the other schools
in the region.
But that didn't slow us down.
Oh no, our friends -- we forged
ahead.
So the day came.
It was in May.
And it was in this very room.
600 blue dodgeballs were laid
neatly in a line along the
center.
And above us, displayed boldly
on a digital screen, was a
single number – the attendance.
We needed 2013 to beat their
record, so initially the people
trickled in and it was
painstakingly slow.
23, 24, 25, then started moving
faster and faster as RIT
students, finally laid to rest
at 2,136.
And all you could see were
massive armies of orange and
brown – It was beautiful.
then the time came.
600 blue dodge balls eclipsed
these fluorescent lights and a
world record was broken.
[Cheers and applause.] >> GREG
POLLOCK: A year before: On
April 6th, 2010 there was a
hockey team who changed the
course of history at RIT.
They made it to the NCAA
Division 1 Frozen Four in their
first try!
[Cheers and applause.] >> GREG
POLLOCK: A year later an
undefeated RIT Women's Division
3 hockey team surpassed the
men's hockey team and rose to
compete for the national
championships.
In the same year, RIT's men's
lacrosse team played to RIT's
first undefeated season since
1997.
[Cheers and applause.] >> GREG
POLLOCK: So all these were
dreams.
Dreams that had been fulfilled.
But the question is: What do all
of these dreams have in common?
well the commonalty is that they
are all forgotten.
Forgotten, though, because they
are now a reality.
If people dream big enough and
well enough, they'll be -- those
dreams will be forgotten and
they will be replaced with a
bigger reality.
See we often don't think about
realities.
For example we don't look at a
brick and say I'm going to make
this brick one day because it's
already made and already
someone's dream and it's already
a reality.
Question do you remember the day
you graduated from high school –
remember how you felt that day?
That was a dream, yet at the
moment you stood or walked
across the stage, it became a
reality.
But now that's all history.
You're here now.
You're feeling this moment.
And this is real.
By this time tomorrow, you will
have been a college student for
a day.
You have new dreams, and new
realities to pursue.
Your dreams may be personal, or
shared, but all dreams need
support.
Dreamers need support.
These supporters are called
fans.
There will be days you find it
especially hard to dream, you'll
feel like you're dragging
through.
But the most important thing to
remember is that if you're ever
looking for a boost, all you
need to do is turn to your fans.
Where are your fans?
Sometimes they're beside you,
but usually, they're nowhere in
sight.
But the important thing is that
whenever you need them, they're
always there.
Even now.
Look right behind you.
[Cheers and applause.] >> GREG
POLLOCK: Honestly, I wish I
could say they were my fans, but
they're yours, you're their
heroes.
Fans are like your stars, you
don't always see them, you don't
always remember them, but you
know they're there.
Some of your dreams will become
a reality here.
And some of them will take a bit
longer.
So I encourage you to be
patient.
And be positive.
And remember that you're part of
RIT's 'dream team' now.
You're their heroes.
Dream on!
[Cheers and applause.] >> GREG
POLLOCK: Thank you.
>> DR. HAEFNER: Thank you,
Greg!
You are a wonderful Unstoppable,
unflappable ambassador for our
students and I look forward to
working with you again this
year!
Greg just talked about dreaming
big as you begin your life at
RIT.
At the heart of those dreams is
the formal education you will
receive.
RIT is blessed with an
outstanding faculty dedicated
and committed to making sure
that the education you receive
is rigorous, on the
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
growth occurs.
Your obligation is to accept
this challenge; to be engaged,
and in fact to challenge them as
well.
But do so respectfully and
thoughtfully because that is how
they will treat you.
What can you expect from your
educational journey?
Here to help answer this
question is Dr. Sandra J.
Connelly, assistant professor of
biology in the School of
Biological and Medical Sciences,
College of Science.
Last spring, she was awarded the
Richard and Virginia Eisenhart
Provost's Award for Excellence
in Teaching.
Please join me in welcoming Dr.
Sandra Connelly.
[Applause].
>> DR. CONNELLY: Hi. >> THE
AUDIENCE: Hi! >> DR. CONNELLY:
Welcome to one of your most
important life journeys!
From this point, graduation is
your RIT finale, but your focus
should be on your journey.
We spend little time celebrating
journeys.
Everyone goes to your graduation
party.
Few are interested in your "I
submitted my 25 page analysis of
Shakespeare" party or "I
improved my organic chem grade
20%" party!
This is unfortunate!
So, I challenge you to make the
most out of every step in your
journey at RIT.
You need a plan.
First, why RIT?
Each of you has a different
reason for being here today.
But, if you talk to other
students, your path is likely
similar.
You survived your first day of
kindergarten.
You probably don't remember, but
your parents do, and I am sure
it was quite the finale!
You survived what not to wear,
what sport you should play, and
who you should be friends with!
Plus gym class, SATs, endless
exams and homework, and way too
many "what are you gonna do with
your life" conversations!
And, suddenly, you are a high
school graduate.
Now, if I asked each of you
individually why RIT, there
would be themes.
You know an RIT graduate; or RIT
has a good program for fill in
the blank; or maybe you just
really like orange and brown!
The themes are similar, as they
would be at any college.
But, specifically, why RIT?
What is your reason?
You need to know what it is – it
is unique.
It will be your strength for yet
another late night of studying
and the reason you skip that ski
trip to write a paper.
And it will be why you confront
the challenges of your journey
differently than any one.
Now, while your reason for RIT
is unique, your basic needs for
this journey are not.
Every student at RIT, freshmen
or not, shares the following
needs.
We're going to call them rules.
I know, life is full of them.
No.
1.
You need a pencil.
In this age of technology, it is
something most students forget.
Write things down!
You are going in 50 plus
directions at once.
It has been demonstrated
Repeatedly that writing
something down commits it to
memory – typing it does not!
And, please don't on the day of
your exam say Dr. Connelly can I
have a pencil?
No.
No.
2.
You need a support Network.
Greg just talked a little bit
about this.
For many this will be
friendships that begin today.
It might also be -- it may or
may not include your roommate.
But it also might be frequent
calls home.
And that's ok!
But, remember, the only people
who know what you are going
through are sitting beside you
right now in class and walking
beside you on the quarter mile.
Don't forget, the guy or gal at
the end of the row is just as
bummed as you on exam day.
And they probably don't have a
pencil either!
No.
3.
Don't forget why you at RIT
today.
Often think about to this, we'll
see why.
No.
4.
Always be true to yourself.
We'll come back to this.
In our plan, we must also take
in to consideration our
similarities and differences.
While you will have common
struggles, and similar needs,
remember that every person
around you is having a different
day.
You can't grasp a concept in
class.
Or the food just "isn't
grandma's."
Or you washed a new red t-shirt
with your white sheets.
Or you received bad news from
home.
Or if the fire alarm goes off
one more time because that kid
down the hall burns popcorn in
the microwave at 3am You are
gonna.
[Cheers and applause.] >> DR.
CONNELLY: Deep breath.
We all have personal and
professional experiences that we
bring to every situation.
Recognize this.
Part of your journey has to be
to work with differences and
make the most out of them.
Don't be afraid to ask someone
how they would deal with your
situation!
You might be surprised!
We also have to account for
unforeseen issues.
You will fail at something at
RIT.
Not maybe.
You will.
But, you will Be okay.
Everything will work.
You'll forget an assignment.
Fail an exam.
Break up with your significant
other.
Something will happen.
Even these people up here will
fail at something this year.
Don't tell them.
So ask for help.
You can do it.
In class we'll find you a tutor.
In relationships we'll find
someone to talk to.
In getting Mom to understand
that you love her to pieces, but
you aren't coming home Every
weekend.
You're on your own there.
I've got my own to deal with.
Just don't give up!
Without each of our support
networks no one could make it
through the day.
While we don't plan to fail we
just have to plan to deal with
it when it occurs.
Face it head on.
Accept it as your failure, and
the next time chose a different
path.
Sometimes we forget that others
are struggling.
I often hear faculty say even
myself "why don't the students
know this or do that.
So I asked them hey what should
the students be doing
differently this year I was
surprised!
Many of the.
students said they wished that
they had made more personal
connections in their first year.
They were so focused on
surviving that they forgot peers
are great support.
Rule No.
2!
Support network!
Most reflected very strongly
that from now on, nothing about
college gets easier.
You will become more involved in
RIT each day and be completely
overwhelmed countless times on
this journey.
Just remember this is not high
school.
It is your new journey.
Your actions belong only to you.
Good or bad, accept them.
You are responsible for your own
-- as scary as this is, parents,
for your own life now.
24/7.
yeah.
Okay.
One faculty member said,
"Students often blame everyone
but themselves for missed
assignments, over sleeping, not
Doing well, blah, blah, blah, if
they just came up to me and
said: I screwed up we could have
helped them.
Don't just let things happen.
Own up to them.
And we can help you.
Rules No.
2 and No.
4!
I keep mentioning Rule No.
4.
Be true to yourself.
What do I let's take an example
I often see in my class of 320
bio students.
You didn't finish your
assignment.
You go to class.
You find the smart kid in the
front or back row.
And you copy it.
You can be suspended for this.
Not a good stop on this journey.
No.
So what do you do.
You come up to your professor
and say hey I'm a dork, I didn't
do my assignment because I
forgot it my dog ate it.
Try to be truthful on this one.
But often the instructor will
say get it to me later.
Don't worry about this one I
drop one anyway but they might
also say sorry it's a zero but
trust me this is far better than
them catching you cheating.
Even in my class of 320 or
whatever it is I've lost count
the honest students that come to
me and say hey I screwed up in
the end I'm going to say I know
this student they screwed up on
this homework assignment because
of X and they told me about it
they are close to an A I'm going
to give it to them they were
honest with me.
Take responsibility for your
actions I promise you will be
more successful even if at that
moment it doesn't feel like it.
RIT does expect a lot of you,
but a lot is fundamental.
Remember to attend and
Participate.
It seems obvious but the number
of students who skip class,
meetings, work, and meals.
Maybe it isn't.
Coming to class and surfing the
internet or doing an assignment
for another class is not
participating.
And, contrary to popular belief,
it is also not multi-tasking.
No.
If you are attending and
participating actively in
everything you do, you will be
more successful.
I guarantee it.
Don't let someone else take
credit for your journey because
You were too lazy to get up,
take a shower and go to class.
Yeah.
So what can you expect from RIT
we expect a lot of you you know
that so first and foremost, what
we expect of you
and
If you don’t know.
Ask!
Get out that pencil and write it
down!
You will be glad at 2 AM that
you wrote "Skip Chapter 4 for
the exam!"
awesome.
Secondly, you can expect help,
but you must help yourself.
You should ask a professor for
help with an assignment or a
hard concept, but, you should
also be able to show what you
have done thus far that hasn't
worked.
Show us effort and we will give
you the world.
Or at least guidance to get
there!
You are in good hands!
You will be hard pressed to find
a Closed door at RIT when you
truly need an open one.
And if the doors you are trying
are all closed.
Try mine in Gosnell.
Seriously.
stop by.
We will find you help.
Lastly cherish this journey.
It will be full of highs and
lows.
But, in 10 years when you look
back on RIT.
The high points will outweigh
the stumbling blocks and 8 AM
classes, I promise!
Take to heart the rules we have
outlined together and you will
not be disappointed!
Families and friends – I --
where are you?
[Cheers and applause.] >> DR.
CONNELLY: There you are.
There you are.
I haven't forgotten about you!
You are the foundation of the
students support network!
What -- you are what got them
here today.
What can you expect of RIT
during this journey?
lots of high points!
Brick City Weekend, Imagine RIT,
and happy phone calls short as
they might be!
You too will bleed orange and
brown by the end of this
journey.
But there will also be some low
points.
Awkward pictures on Facebook!
Late night phone calls home.
Or, worse, no phone calls home!
Arguments.
These will be trying times.
just look back on their teenage
years, you'll soon look back on
this the same way.
In some forgiving light.
But, the student you are leaving
at RIT today is not the adult
you will stand proudly beside at
graduation.
They a still yours we don't
totally take ownership but RIT
will be giving them the tools
for the steps of their journey
that will make them so much
more.
For better or worse much of that
journey is in their hands.
You have given them the tools to
succeed thus far, and RIT will
help them build a whole new set
of tools for their future.
Working together -- faculty,
staff, families, friends, AND
all of you, this going to be one
amazing journey, of which
everyone can be proud!
The students before me today
will take on challenges none of
us can even dream!
They will become the heart of
societies that we cherish near
and far, leaving their mark on
the world, and having their
journeys, not just their
finales, celebrated.
Students, when we all gather
right back in roughly 1365 days
at your -- in case you're
counting, at finale, I hope that
your support network is front
and center, that fond memories
of RIT resonate, and that you
are truly proud, personally and
professionally, of the choices
you have made throughout your
entire journey here at RIT.
Take note, that will be the one
time you don’t need a pencil!
Except maybe for autographs!
Welcome to RIT!
[Applause] >> DR. HAEFNER: Dr.
Connelly, thank you very much –
on behalf of all of the faculty
here.
you have given us lots to think
about as we all start this new
journey together.
Over the past couple of years,
we have developed a series of
short videos focused on the
amazing relationships that
develop between faculty and
students.
I am pleased and proud to share
with you today the latest in the
series.
Please watch your screens.
>> Hi my name is Maja and I'm
from Croatia I love meeting all
types of people and making new
friends my friends mean a lot to
me and it's important to me to
keep my relationships strong I
would definitely say that I'm a
people person.
Since I love helping and
interacting with people I became
an international hospitality and
service management manager at
ACMT.
In hospitality and service
management we cover creative new
ways to help manage and market
small businesses, restaurants,
hotels, big companies and
international corporation.
ACMT is an international
university that's part of RIT, a
university in America.
It's really cool that I'll be
graduating with both American
and Croatian diplomas which
makes me more valuable for any
job professors here have a close
relationship with you they
definitely push you to be more
self confident and think
creatively Kevin walker was my
professor for small business and
developing management he was a
fun and inspiring professor he
was always willing to help us
day or night in his class we
developed a new business and
created a marketing plan for it.
My team's idea was to open a
chocolate sweet shop in old city
Dubai that would offer so much
more than just crock late we
researched all of the logs
estimation from who our
customers would be to promoting
our shops we took all of these
pieces and fit them together
making it a success my teammates
and I really worked well
together but if we needed any
help we could go to anyone in
our community.
Especially the professor.
One of my professors Abushai
really helped me with my senior
project about banks financing
small businesses he connected
with bankers and small business
owners from both Croatia and
America to help me with my
research through this project I
discovered that both Croatian
and American banks and
businesses have so much to learn
from each other I'm confident I
can apply this knowledge and my
international education to help
businesses globally.
[Applause].
>> DR. HAEFNER: As you map out
your journey over the next four
years I do hope you'll take time
to do a study abroad experience
we have many campuses in the RIT
family please visit those or
device your own study abroad
through our Office of Study
abroad services and ink to thank
Joe Bellavia and the staff at
the educational technology
center for creating these
videos.
>> DR. HAEFNER: It gives me
great pleasure to introduce
RIT’s president, Dr. William W.
Destler.
He will be followed by our
student orientation coordinators
Chelsea Bruha, Joe Kaplan,
Matthew Figliotti, and Peter
Simon who will let you know what
comes next on today's agenda.
Dr.
Destler.
[Applause] >>DR.
WILLIAM DESTLER: Once again,
welcome to RIT.
It is with great pleasure that
I welcome all students, both new
and returning, to RIT.
It is also my pleasure to
welcome all of the parents and
friends of our students who are
here to wish them luck on their
educational journey.
Only four years ago, I was a
first-year Tiger myself, and I
was as excited to begin the
academic year as any freshman
might be.
And like all of you, I was
looking forward to immersing
myself in this extraordinary
campus and learning about all
RIT has to offer.
What I have found in my first
four years here is that RIT is
truly a "category of one"
university.
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?
It is this unusual combination
of right-brainers and
left-brainers working together
that makes RIT a special place,
and it is the presence on our
campus of the National Technical
Institute for the Deaf that
makes RIT absolutely unique.
This kind of intellectual and
cultural diversity is available
only at RIT, and it provides an
extraordinary
outside-the-classroom
educational opportunity to all
students.
How much you benefit from it,
however, is really up to you.
I encourage all of you to first
find your footing in your
academic studies, and then
branch outward into the various
opportunities for campus
engagement that are available to
you.
It is this opportunity to grow
intellectually in areas inside
and outside of your major that
makes an RIT experience so
special.
Now we in academia have an
opportunity to serve as examples
of how to engage in civil
discourse in an Increasingly
polarized nation I'm afraid.
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.
One cautionary note, however.
And here I echo Andrew's
comments, The United States is a
wonderful country and one of the
best things about this nation is
the extent to which you if you
fail you can always start over.
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.
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.
The faculty and staff at RIT
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 will look forward to watching
your progress and celebrating
your achievements.
go Tigers.
[Applause] [Cheers and
applause.] >> Hello, I'm
Chelsea Bruha and I'm from
Denver, Colorado.
Parents and families, thank you
for being here to support your
student.
We were once in their shoes and
used 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.
[Cheers and applause.] Hello,
I'm Joe Kaplan and I'm from
Buffalo, New York.
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 RIT community.
The programs include: academic
advising and academic day;
College Life 101; Living and
Learning Together- We are RIT;
SpiRITS; the Tiger Den kickoff
that highlights RIT athletics; a
picnic and carnival for all new
students a welcoming ceremony
for RIT 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 things off on
Monday.
[Cheers and applause.] Hello,
I'm Matt Figliotti and I'm from
Rochester, New York.
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 RIT.
is.
[Cheers and applause.] Hello,
I'm Peter Simon and I'm from
Gilbertsville, New York.
When you return home, please
take a few minutes to complete
our on-line Family Program
evaluation.
Your feedback is important to
future orientation programs.
Again, welcome!
We are glad you're here.
To conclude the Convocation for
New Students and Families,
please stand for the RIT Alma
Mater, as printed on the inside
cover of your program and led by
Proof of Purchase, RIT's first
co-ed a cappella group, and deaf
sign performers Maya Ariel,
Timothy Holmes, and Nicholas
Shaw.
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!
[Applause] Hail, RIT!
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 RIT!
From RIT, our course is set;
We celebrate a promise kept: A
life, a living you have taught;
Let new horizons now be sought!
[Applause].