The second-largest class in University history filled Cameron Indoor Stadium Wednesday for the new-student Convocation ceremony.
President Richard Brodhead, along with other faculty and student leaders, spoke to a stadium of 1,750 freshmen. The speeches asked students to embrace change, focus on personal growth and ask the right questions.
“Disruption isn’t fun, but disruption is the creator of new possibilities,” Brodhead said, encouraging students to push boundaries. “None of us see our work here as being the conservators of tradition.”
Brodhead also pointed out the many ongoing construction projects around campus, including the restoration of the Chapel that relegated convocation to Cameron Indoor. He explained, however, that the most meaningful construction projects were “building men and women.”
“The construction starts today,” he said. “I welcome you to Duke.”
Christoph Guttentag, dean of undergraduate admissions, opened the ceremony by asking students to look around at the classmates they would be sharing their Duke experience with.
“What you saw there is a glimpse of what you will constantly notice during your time here,” he said, highlighting various students, including an Irish dancer, farmers, a snow cone food truck operator and the world’s youngest Airbnb host. “We noticed those of you who were willing to take a risk. This is a place that responds to that kind of choice.”
As he typically does, Guttentag profiled the class, which features students from 48 states and 79 countries. The Class of 2019 is one of the most racially diverse in University history—students of color make up almost half of the class and Latino students make up 10 percent of the group, the highest figure ever.
Twelve percent of the Class of 2019 are children of alumni, and North Carolina, New York and California top the list of states represented by Duke's newest freshmen.
After Brodhead spoke, Steve Nowicki, dean and vice provost of undergraduate education, asked students to challenge themselves and others to learn and grow as much as possible—to be skeptical, but not cynical, and to be ready for answers that may be uncomfortable.
”I want you to question authority because, at its core, understanding when and where to question authority is what education is all about,” he said.
Continuing with his theme, Nowicki discussed how standing up to authority was relevant during his youth, when he experienced events such as the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal and the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Question authority seems like it might be as good a mantra for your generation as it was for mine,” he said, referring to today's political stagnation, social change movements and global challenges such as poverty and war.
Duke Student Government President Keizra Mecklai, a senior, gave the last convocation speech, encouraging students to be ambitious and grow during their years at Duke.
“All of your hard work has culminated with your presence here at the best university in the United States,” she said.
Senior Madison Spahn of the Duke Chorale closed the ceremony by leading the audience in the alma mater “Dear Old Duke.”
“I thought the speeches were very original and had very good themes,” freshman Dillon Leovic said. “It was a good mix of people to hear from.”
Freshmen Siera and Kiera Lunn added that the confidence faculty seem to have in the students, and the themes of growth and change, made convocation meaningful.
“The people we came here being are probably not the people we’re going to be when we leave,” Siera Lunn said. “We’re going to be able to change, grow and mature over our four years.”
After the ceremony ended, students enjoyed a picnic with their parents, most of whom will leave to allow their sons and daughters to acclimate to life on campus before classes start Monday.
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