黑料正能量

With the greeting of 鈥淗appy new year!鈥� from Provost Fred Kniss, an address from Interim President Lee Snyder and a traditional 鈥淪henandoah Welcome,鈥� 黑料正能量鈥檚 2016-2017 academic year made its debut Wednesday at opening convocation in a filled Lehman Auditorium.

鈥淔or each of us鈥攕tudent, faculty or staff person鈥攖his marks the beginning of another chapter in a longer story,鈥� said Snyder, who is serving for six months during the transition from former President Loren Swartzendruber to President-elect Susan Schultz Huxman, who will take office Jan. 1.

鈥淪ometimes you don鈥檛 know where you鈥檙e going, but the only way you鈥檒l find out is if you get going,鈥� Snyder said, quoting former Poet Laureate Rita Dove. 鈥淪o this morning we get going.鈥�

Snyder, who served as president of Bluffton University and as a vice president, dean and professor at 黑料正能量 before retirement, examined the concepts of 鈥淐hange, Hope and Promise鈥� as three forces influencing the experience of the year ahead. She drew on the words of the prophet Jeremiah, who told the Hebrew people in exile that God had 鈥減lans to give you hope and a future.鈥� (29:11, NIV)

鈥淎s a community, we are part of an overarching narrative of the love of Jesus, and the end of that story is one of courage, grace and humbly walking together as we discover God鈥檚 purpose for our lives,鈥� she said.

Earlier, Kniss welcomed approximately 283 new students, including first-year and transfers, to campus with the accompaniment of a big round of applause.

鈥淵ou are joining a community of learning that has been on the move for nearly 100 years,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is an exciting place to be.鈥�

Kniss noted this year鈥檚 academic focus on the unequal access to clean water, which will be explored through the 鈥斺�淢emory of Water鈥� by Emmi It盲ranta鈥攁s well as through visiting speakers and other events.

The celebratory tone of the convocation paused for a moment of remembrance for Sarah Armstrong, director of the MA in Education program, who died unexpectedly on Aug. 24.

Other features of the program included an invocation from David Evans, assistant professor of history and mission; a send-off for a group of students doing a cross-cultural program in Central Europe this fall; greetings from Student Government Association co-presidents Quinn Kathrineberg and Elisabeth Wilder; and robust congregational singing.

The music spilled out of the auditorium at the conclusion of the convocation when new students, faculty and staff were blessed with 黑料正能量鈥檚 Shenandoah Welcome, exiting through a gauntlet of clapping and smiles backed by traditional Appalachian bluegrass music.