Freshmen encouraged to immerse themselves in Duke's culture at Convocation

<p>President Richard Brodhead presided over Convocation Wednesday morning.&nbsp;</p>

President Richard Brodhead presided over Convocation Wednesday morning. 

The Class of 2020 filled the newly renovated Duke Chapel to the brim for Convocation Wednesday morning.

President Richard Brodhead along with Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Christoph Guttentag, Steve Nowicki—dean and vice provost for undergraduate education—and senior Tara Bansal, president of Duke Student Government, addressed the group of more than 1,700 students, one of the largest ever, encouraging them to immerse themselves in campus culture and take risks.

The ceremony was not held in the Chapel last year due to its renovations, and the crowd this year proved to be slightly too large for the room.

“The Chapel was a little bit overstuffed so we were stuck sitting on the floor and staring at a pillar, but it was a nice event!” freshman Isabel Ivanescu said. 

Guttentag highlighted members of the Class of 2020, which is made up of more than 50 percent students of color, from 49 states. He mentioned a competitive hula dancer, a high school ambassador to the Japanese government, an astral photographer, a rare fish breeder and a female dead lift record holder. 

“Accomplishments like these are always impressive. And I know that sometimes they can be a little intimidating," Guttentag said. "But you were all chosen the same way. We weren’t looking for perfection. We weren’t looking to be amazed. We were looking for intelligence, honesty, thoughtfulness, kindness, engagement, ambition and the willingness to be both true to yourself and part of a larger community at the same time. We’ve chosen you not for what you’ve done but what you can do.”

Brodhead’s welcome centered around the topic of citizenship, and he pronounced students new citizens of Duke.

What determines citizenship of Duke?” Brodhead asked. “You are entitled to citizenship because you earned it the only way it can be won: by being a person of promise eager to live up to your full potential.”

Brodhead emphasized that he views coming to Duke as having both benefits and responsibilities. 

“My friend Dean Guttentag lifted your spirits with pleasantries, and here I am, loading you down with expectations," he said.  "My excuse is, you actually need to visualize and embrace the commitments I’ve described: lower your expectations when you arrive and you will lower the quality of the experience you take away.”

Bansal echoed Brodhead’s sentiment of taking advantage of opportunities by recounting her time as a coxswain on the men’s rowing team. 

“Whatever you do, never allow yourself to get comfortable,” she said. 

Following Bansal's remarks, Nowicki stressed to students the need to immerse themselves deeply in their time at Duke, rather than be like the people he observed at the Louvre Museum this summer who took photos without looking at the art. 

So here you are, Class of 2020, about to enter the educational equivalent of the Louvre,” Nowicki said. “And, of course, what we offer is not just a dazzling array of art—although I do recommend the Nasher—but an even more dazzling array of opportunities to experience new things and new ideas... At its core, that’s the fundamental point of the education we offer at Duke.”

Convocation formally kicked off Orientation Week for the freshmen, who arrived Tuesday.

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