University leaders dispense advice, encouragement during student convocation to help freshmen succeed

By Amanda Karr The Daily Reflector

Monday, August 22, 2005

For the first time in recent history, incoming East Carolina University freshmen were officially welcomed to the school at a student convocation.

About 600 students, many wearing gold "First-Year Experience" T-shirts, gathered Sunday afternoon at Wright Auditorium for the ceremony, which was followed by workshops designed to help students transition from high school to college.

"You've got your cars unpacked, some of you two cars. Mom, dad, relatives are probably gone. You're looking at the map trying to figure out where things are. You're finally here," James Smith, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, said in welcoming the incoming freshmen.

Chancellor Steve Ballard offered the new college attendees four suggestions for success.

First, he said, build a strong academic career. Second, "learn how to learn," focusing not just on major-specific classes but a broad range of subjects that will be required to navigate the world outside of college.

He also encouraged students to engage in learning outside the classroom through service and other projects, activities 40 percent of students participated in last year.

Finally, be a leader, he said.

"Every one of you is a leader; that is why you are here today," he told the crowd.

He also made two final requests of the incoming class, which is expected to number about 3,500: After midnight, keep the noise down on Fifth Street and come out to see the Pirates beat Duke.

The first garnered a laugh from those who knew the chancellor's house is on Fifth Street. The second drew loud cheers and applause from the new Pirates in anticipation of the first football game on Sept. 4 at home against the Blue Devils.

Other university, faculty and student leaders offered additional advice for the new college students, encouraging them to dream big, prioritize well and get involved in campus activities.

Sallye McKee, the school's first assistant to the chancellor for institutional diversity, spoke about her new role in ensuring diversity as a core value.

After about an hour, faculty and university leaders, all clad in academic regalia, proceeded out of the auditorium and Donald Joyner, senior associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, took the microphone to offer some practical, humorous and simply honest advice.

"Enjoy it while it lasts," he told the students who raised their hand to indicate they had a boyfriend or girlfriend back home.

Don't order pizza at midnight after getting back from a party, he suggested as a solution to the "freshman 15" weight gain.

Don't hang up pictures of high school friends and activities on the dorm room walls and then sit inside and cry about missing past times. Get involved around campus, he told the crowd.

And to the approximately 50 students who raised their hands to signify they were from Virginia or farther north – Don't be surprised when friends and family back home make fun of the acquired Southern accent.

The plethora of advice garnered a few laughs from Kristen Evans, an 18-year-old from Buxton who had already heard Joyner once at freshman orientation earlier in the summer.

She said she found the convocation interesting and planned to attend the workshops afterward to learn more about life on campus. A biology major, she said a seminar on time management was going to be her first stop because she figured it would be a needed skill to handle her new workload.

Evans also took to heart the message of becoming involved in extracurricular activities. She said she planned to look into activities involving dance or theater.

Jessica Bulova, from New Jersey, attended the convocation with her new roommate and other female students from Garrett Hall who are in the First-Year Experience program. The program groups students in residence halls and provides additional guidance in choosing a major and other challenges of college.

Bulova, who said she came to ECU for its nutrition program, was headed to a workshop on studying abroad. She and her new classmates said they were excited about starting classes Wednesday after all the unpacking and waiting.

Amanda Karr can be contacted at akarr@coxnc.com or 329-9574.