As freshmen converged on East Campus with their brand new sheets, lamps and clothes, President Richard Brodhead got something new, too.
Dean of Undergraduate Admissions Christoph Guttentag presented him with the Class of 2013.
"Christoph, I love it. The new Dukies are just what I always wanted," Brodhead said in his Aug. 19 convocation speech.
Brodhead likened move-in day to "D-Day, without the hostile fire," and reminded freshmen that their mission was to take possession of Duke and their experience here.
That task might not be too difficult for the freshman class, which was the most selective class yet with a 17 percent acceptance rate. The Class of 2013 is the result of almost 24,000 applications to the University-3,500 more than last year-and is a class that is fluent in 66 languages besides English, Guttentag said in his speech.
Guttentag said this year's class includes the co-founder of a nonprofit organization, the Zimbabwean junior chess champion and the student representative to the Connecticut State Board of Education. Steve Nowicki, vice provost and dean of undergraduate education, Brodhead and Duke Student Government President Awa Nur all reminded freshmen in their remarks that there is no typical Duke student or model Duke experience.
What is typical of Dukies, however, is that throughout history, they have not settled for what is easy, Brodhead said.
"When you chose Duke, you chose a place that's made itself ever better by its willingness to dream bigger dreams and find ways to achieve them," he said. "And when I welcome you to Duke, I welcome you to join this history and write its future chapters."
To be a typical Duke student, Brodhead said, is to be a student who is willing to be ambitious and use all the resources the University offers to achieve those goals, like so many who have come before.
Although several students said they were not particularly inspired by the convocation ceremony, many freshmen said Brodhead's speech lessened the overwhelming experience of their first days on campus.
"It definitely gave me something to focus on and aim for because I did feel really lost," freshman Ishita Chordia said. "It got me pumped."
For others, Brodhead and the convocation ceremony inspired them to seize all opportunities available at Duke.
"It got me excited about going here," freshman Michael Tringali said. "There wasn't one specific thing I want to do, but now I'm going to do something. He definitely motivated me."
The freshmen will need that motivation, as Brodhead said Duke expects each student to use the University to become the "most deeply thoughtful, most broadly capable and most socially valuable person" he can become.
"Class of 2013, we've been waiting for your onslaught," he said. "Come take this place by storm."
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