51视频

09/01/2016
By David Perry

The 51视频 Marching Band -- nearly 100 strong -- eased out of a bold, brassy version of 鈥淭he Final Countdown,鈥� and the procession music began exactly on time, as dozens of robed officials and special guests strode onto the stage.

Over the next two hours, the university鈥檚 largest, most academically qualified and most diverse incoming class filled half the Tsongas Center鈥檚 bowl for Convocation, the formal beginning to their academic adventure at 51视频.

Freshman and transfer students got a warm welcome, some reassurance and a pep talk the day before classes began.

During her remarks to students, Chancellor Jacquie Moloney announced that Lowell civic, cultural and humanitarian benefactor Nancy Donahue not only sponsored the day鈥檚 keynote speaker, but gifted $1 million to create the Donahue Center for Business Ethics and Social Responsibility.

鈥淲e take seriously your belief in teaching the next generation the importance of doing good while doing well,鈥� Moloney told Donahue, seated nearby on the stage.

鈥淕od knows, the world needs your help right now,鈥� Moloney said to students, pointing to floods in Louisiana, the Zika virus in Florida and those affected by hate crimes and terrorism.

Make a difference to a world that needs you, the morning鈥檚 speakers told students. Have fun. Work hard. Cheer hard. Embrace opportunity. Get enough sleep.

And don鈥檛 ever chase money for happiness.

That was the message of Corey Ciocchetti, whose academic credentials landed him a plum lawyer鈥檚 job right out of Duke University School of Law. He hated it.

聽鈥淚 hate this job,鈥� he told his wife, expecting sympathy. 鈥淚 want to quit. Is that okay?鈥�

鈥淐orey,鈥� she said, 鈥淚 never intended to marry a quitter.鈥�

鈥淚f I鈥檇 have known you鈥檇 say that,鈥� he said, 鈥淚 would have called my mom.鈥�

Ciocchetti now teaches business and legal studies in the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver, and his book, 鈥淩eal Rabbits: Chasing an Authentic Life,鈥� encourages readers to uphold ethical standards in the workplace and everyday life.

Ciocchetti sprinkled humor throughout his talk, but he made his points: live within modest means, since 鈥測ou can never get enough of what you don鈥檛 need to really make you happy.鈥� Chase, instead, 鈥減eace and contentment.鈥� Find five good friends. Laugh at yourself. Develop your character by listening to your conscience. Work to fix what is wrong.

鈥淟eave a legacy at this place,鈥� he advised.

Ciocchetti earned a standing ovation.

In an example of the university鈥檚 dedication to fixing problems, students got an introduction to the DifferenceMaker program, as three student teams made three-minute pitches on the stage for products they developed. Students voted by text, selecting eNABLE Lowell鈥檚 3-D printed prosthetic hand as winner.

They also met new Provost Michael Vayda, who arrived in June and introduced himself as 鈥渁 freshman and a transfer, too.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e here to support you,鈥� said Vayda. 鈥淓ngage with us and ask for assistance if you need it.鈥�

鈥淭he speakers were all interesting people,鈥� said Ryan Brennan, a computer science major who arrived on campus Friday from Waltham. 鈥淐ollege is going to be a huge change. One of the reasons I picked Lowell was the variety of people. Sometimes, with the computer science schools, there鈥檚 just one kind of person. But that won鈥檛 be the case here and I鈥檓 really looking forward to that.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 really excited to go to classes right now,鈥� said biomedical engineering major Angelina Nguyen of Revere, who headed to the post-Convocation barbeque with her twin sister, Angelisa. 鈥淭hat was just so cool. I loved how they said don鈥檛 do something for the money. I鈥檓 here because I want to help people with what I learn.鈥�

The twins, first-generation college students, said it will be a change for their parents, too, immigrants from Vietnam.

鈥淭he tradition is that the children always lived at home until marriage,鈥� said Angelina. 鈥淎nd we are here.鈥�

鈥淚t got me really thinking about things when they started talking about money not making you happy,鈥� added Angelisa, a mechanical engineering major. 鈥淚鈥檓 here for very different reasons. To be happy, yes, but not for money.鈥�