New Student Welcome
James P. Clements
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Video
Good afternoon! Welcome to West Virginia University!
Thank you for choosing WVU – you made a great choice, and so did we when we picked you. We picked you because we know you have what it takes to be successful and we believe in you.
Now before I begin I’d like to thank all of today’s speakers for talking from the heart about what lies before you as a freshman at WVU.
Our speakers are symbolic of the many people – students, faculty, and staff – who are here to help you, who want you to succeed, and who will go out of their way to help you.
Let’s give them all another round of applause.
I would also like to recognize:
Carolyn Long, Chair of the Board of Governors, Dr. Nigel Clark, Chair of the Faculty Senate, and member of the Board of Governors, Jason Zuccari, President of the Student Body and member of the Board of Governors, and all of the Faculty Members, Chairs, Deans, and Administrators who are here with us today.
In the years ahead, we’ll be on a journey together as members of the Mountaineer family. This summer I became the 23rd President of WVU, so, like you, I’m still finding my way around.
But you know what? I already LOVE it here, and so will you!
My family and I have been overwhelmed by the kindness and community spirit we’ve found here, and we plan to stay here for a very long time.
Now, just so know you know … it’s normal for you to feel a little apprehensive or even homesick right now, but I am sure that you will find a home here, too—faster than you think.
As I mentioned earlier you made a great choice in coming to WVU. Universities are often known by the quality of their students. Well, I’m proud of your outstanding academic credentials.
Among you are two students who made a perfect score on the ACT exam—something only 69 students in the entire country did last year! Congratulations Jonathan Turner and David Webb! Many universities tried to attract these students, but they believe that WVU is the best place to prepare for an incredible future.
Each of you made the same decision, and I’m confident that you’ve made the right one.
While at WVU, you’ll learn from outstanding faculty members. As Professor Ryan mentioned earlier, being a professor is the best job in the world. And that is because you can have a positive effect on the lives of many people every day. This is what faculty members do.
I know you will find faculty here who will inspire you in some way. Maybe some will even motivate you to want to become a professor yourself. Stop and think about it: some of the greatest minds in the world will be your teachers right here in Morgantown.
I could give you a few hundred examples of our faculty who have been recognized for their work in the classroom and in the labs.
Here are just a few:
We have faculty members like physics professors Dr. Duncan Lorimer and Dr. Maura McLaughlin, who are studying pulsars using West Virginia’s Green Bank telescope, the most technically advanced single-dish radio telescope in the world – and an undergraduate student working with them played an important part in one of their recent discoveries.
We have faculty members like Dr. Ruth Kershner, who recently won a national award for health education. As a professor of community medicine and as a substance abuse awareness educator, she has reaches thousands of young people through open/honest discussions. Like many WVU professors and students, she also has a global vision and has served in multiple countries.
And, Professor Sharon Ryan, who is with us today, has been featured in Sports Illustrated—imagine that a philosophy professor in Sports Illustrated!
Your professors will be mentors—if you take the time to get to know them. They will open your mind to new ideas and help you open doors to new opportunities.
As Professor Ryan said, they want to make you think, they want to see your enthusiasm for learning, and they want to help you prepare for success. They’ve already done this for thousands of students who came before you.
We also have outstanding students who compete well with students from across the nation—for prestigious scholarships, for internships, and for jobs after graduation.
No matter what your major or interests, you have a unique chance to make a name for yourself right here at WVU!
A few examples of our incredibly talented students include:
Andrew Higgins, who conducts advanced physics research at WVU, won a student business plan competition by starting his own company to develop high-quality research instruments, and he captured the nation’s highest award for science students by being a named a Goldwater Scholar.
John Armour, who received the Truman Scholarship—a prestigious national award for service as the President of WVU’s Habitat for Humanity.
Emily Calandrelli, who conducted research at NASA, studied abroad in Turkey, helped to build a greenhouse for a family in Mexico, interned for a U.S. congressman, and distinguished herself by winning two major national scholarships—the Goldwater and the Truman—and appeared on USA Today’s academic first team.
As you sit here today—think about what you want to be doing in ten years and what you have to do right now to get there. You are the future leaders and we put our trust in you.
You walk in the footsteps of many former students who paved the way for you. We have 175,000 alums and our graduates include:
The inventor of the cable modem.
The basketball legend whose silhouette is on the NBA logo.
The President and CEO of Cisco Systems.
The President and CEO of Bayer Corporation.
The Director of White House communications for former President Bill Clinton.
The past President of the American Medical Association.
The musical composer for Star Trek: The Next Generation and many other television and film projects.
A four-star general who commanded U.S. Air Forces in Europe.
And, my favorite—one of the most successful college basketball coaches of all time—our very own Coach Bob Huggins – who by the way is an honors graduate from this great university!
All of these and thousands of others walked the same halls and sidewalks that you will. They started college with the same feelings of excitement and nervousness that you have.
All of us at WVU believe you can join our list of outstanding graduates—and we will do all we can to help you. Now that you’re living on your own, however, you must do some things for yourself.
If you want to succeed in college and fulfill your dreams you must:
Work hard, show up for class and study.
Get involved! Join a club, join a team, and participate in events on campus. There are more than 300 student organizations you can join. You have a great student body president in Jason Zuccari. Help him achieve the goals of the students. Students who become involved have a greater chance of graduating than those who don’t.
Become more globally aware. Consider studying abroad, get to know your fellow students who come from other countries, and look for courses with an international focus.
Look for opportunities to get real-world work experience through internships and community service.
Remember to stay in touch with your family. They are proud of you and will want to know how things are going.
Above all set high goals for yourself. Believe in yourself and think big! If you do this no one can stop you from achieving those goals.
Let me end by saying this:
Take pride in being a Mountaineer. You are joining a tradition like no other.
Alumni and students alike have told me—wear your gold and blue—wear your flying WV—it will be recognized wherever you go in the world.
You’ve got professors, RAs, faculty leaders, advisors, administrators, counselors, family and friends—all are here to help you succeed.
It’s now up to you. You won’t be able to get these years back, so promise yourself that from this day forward you will work hard and do your best.
And, don’t quit because I want to see you at a graduation ceremony in a few years.
Good luck—and, let’s go, Mountaineers!
