UNIVERSITY CONVOCATION WELCOME
Karen M. Whitney
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Marwick-Boyd Auditorium, 7:00 p.m.

Welcome, Class of 2018, to Clarion University's annual University
Convocation and to your first official university event as new college
freshmen!
Give yourselves a hand.
We come together this evening to celebrate not only the beginning of a
new academic year but also your entry into our university community.
As you may know, the word "convocation" means an assembly of fellow
students, faculty, and staff welcoming you to an order of scholars. This
event also concludes a series of activities that each of you has
undergone – from preparing for years to enter college, to applying to
Clarion, to orientation, to registration, to a very busy Discovery
Weekend.
I do want to ask you to help me thank the many faculty, staff and fellow
students who have been here for you over the summer by meeting with
you at orientation, advising you on your courses, helping you move into
housing this Friday, and for the many meetings, talks and emails along
the way. I thank them for their commitment to you and ask you to help
me thank them now.
(Applause)
This convocation also represents a beginning – a beginning of new
friendships, new learning, new dreams, new opportunities for

exploration and self discovery. In joining our academic community, you
have joined your fellow students, as well as the faculty, staff, and
alumni of Clarion University who hold very specific values that I now
ask you to live by every day as a member of our community. Our
students, faculty, staff, and alumni value:
• learning;
• accomplishment;
• encouragement;
• diversity;
• civility; and
• civic engagement.
In talking about our core values, I am reminding you that with the
opportunities of being a college student at Clarion come many
responsibilities. First and foremost, your life is in your hands. Your love
and pursuit of learning is up to you. You will have to take the initiative
to seek out and construct your college life. It's all around you but you
will have to step up and seize the opportunities.
So, this night, which is on the eve of your first day of your first week of
your first semester, of your first year as a Clarion University college
student, there are three things I encourage you to do in order to be
successful. Here goes:
 Go to class every day. Don't miss a day. Going to class is Job One.
 Be ready for every day. Reading assignments, tests, papers,
projects – no excuses.

 Dare to care. Make friends and be a friend. You will need them
and they will need you.
You have joined us at an exciting time because Clarion University is a
university under construction, a university that is building and
rebuilding, literally and metaphorically.
We are building and rebuilding our campus facilities with the new
student housing on Main Street, the renovation of Becht Hall into a
facility dedicated to supporting many student services and programs,
the renovation of Tippin Gym into a modern complex that will support
our health and physical education activities and intercollegiate sports.
We are building and rebuilding our academic programs by introducing
new academic programs this year such as the BSN program --- at the
Clarion campus and the Doctorate in Nursing Practice, which is
recruiting our first class for the 2015 summer class. In addition, the
School of Education is now offering students and teachers an
“endorsement” to teach online courses, the first in PASSHE history. On
top of that, next year we plan to offer bachelor’s degrees in criminal
justice and nutrition and fitness.
We are rebuilding academic programs throughout the university to
even better respond to the needs of our society and your interests as
students. An important example of this is the effort by education
faculty to be more intentional about our educational offerings that can
lead to dual certifications upon graduation. Superintendents
throughout western PA have consistently told us that dual-certified
teachers are the teachers they are most seeking to employ.
We are building and rebuilding our many programs, such as career
services. This year there will be a greater focus on career services in

order to increase our support to you to help you define and pursue
your career dreams.
We are building and rebuilding how we tell our compelling “Clarion
University” story. We will be launching a new university website this
semester and I invite you to not only enjoy the new website but to be a
part it as we ask you in many ways to tell us and the world your Clarion
University story.
In closing, I would like to recognize many folks who are with us this
evening and the many folks who have worked hard to make this event
so special. My sincere thanks to the University Convocation Planning
Committee, co-chaired by Ms. Erin Schuetz and Mr. Shawn Hoke; Mr.
David Katis, our master of ceremonies; Mr. Rob Hoover, who manages
this wonderful auditorium; and Dr. Stephen Johnson who worked with
our students to provide our own wonderful performance this evening.
In particular I would like to thank Dr. Martha Robinson, who led our
procession with a wonderful bagpipe rendition. I also thank all the
faculty and staff who have joined in this celebration.
Finally, to you our newest students who have now joined the Clarion
University Golden Eagle Family, your success is our number one goal.
Now is the time to take flight, soar high to live your life's dreams, work
hard, have fun and . . . Fly, Eagles, Fly! Repeat with me . . .Fly, Eagles,
Fly!
Congratulations, Class of 2018, and have an eagletastic year!