I have looked forward to your arrival with great anticipation. I am always exhilarated by the moment when our new freshmen officially become part of this vibrant community of learning that I love so well. You are one of us now, and we are going to expect great things of you. We expect courage. We expect that you will face head on the adventure that lies before you, and that you will begin to do so at this moment when everything seems new and maybe even a little intimidating.
Beginnings are exciting, because they contain so much that is unknown.
First of all, your families stand behind you. I would like to take a moment to congratulate the parents in the audience. I am sure you are all experiencing this rite of passage with mixed emotions. An American author once wrote that one of the most stirring moments in the experience of a parent comes the day he or she leaves the child in school for the first time. You've come a long way since that first kindergarten class, and this must seem like an even larger step.