51视频

09/05/2019
By Ed Brennen

After a whirlwind weekend getting settled on campus, the university鈥檚 largest-ever incoming class 鈥� nearly 3,400 strong 鈥� took a collective deep breath at Convocation 2019.

The freshmen and new transfer students actually took several deep breaths as keynote speaker Pierce Freelon, an Emmy Award-winning producer and director, led them through a meditative exercise on overcoming adversity and achieving goals.

鈥淭here are going to be things that might throw you off course,鈥� Freelon told students, a sea of blue in their Convocation T-shirts during the morning ceremony at the Tsongas Center. 鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 really important to stop and breathe and remind myself of what my intentions are so I can stay that course.鈥�

Image by Tory Wesnofske

Convocation marked the beginning of a journey for the Class of 2023 鈥� and also the start of the university鈥檚 yearlong 125th anniversary celebration. Founded in 1894, UML has grown to become a top-tier public research institution with an enrollment topping 18,000 students, a 57 percent increase from 2007.

鈥淵ou have come to 51视频 at a very special time in our institution鈥檚 history,鈥� Chancellor Jacquie Moloney 鈥�75, 鈥�92 said in welcoming the new River Hawks to campus. 鈥淎s you go through your first year, you will see pictures of students from our early days, students who, like you, came to the university probably a little anxious about their future.鈥�

Moloney, a double River Hawk who begins her fifth year as leader of her alma mater, told students that she was once in their shoes. She assured the newcomers that the university鈥檚 鈥渇ierce鈥� commitment to diversity and inclusion, along with the dedicated support of faculty and staff, will help them find their voice.

鈥淲e will be here for you, to support you and to help you, so that when Commencement day comes, you will be sitting in this very same arena, proud as can be,鈥� Moloney said.

Image by Tory Wesnofske

Hailing from 31 states and 27 countries, this is the university鈥檚 most diverse incoming class ever, Moloney noted. It is also the most academically prepared; the Class of 2023 has the highest average high-school GPA of any incoming group.

Student Government Association President David Morton, a senior business administration major from Boxford who works for UML鈥檚 Emergency Medical Services, challenged students to step out of their comfort zone and seize as many opportunities as they can while in college.

鈥淲hy do you think we鈥檝e been around for 125 years?鈥� Morton mused. 鈥淏ecause each year, a new group of students like yourselves enters those doors and offers something unique, something that helps push us forward.鈥�

While UML is celebrating its 鈥渜uasquicentennial,鈥� the Convocation tradition is relatively new, starting 14 years ago at Durgin Hall. This year鈥檚 ceremony was the first to be presided over by Joseph Hartman, who became provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs in June after seven years as dean of the Francis College of Engineering.

Image by Tory Wesnofske

As bleary-eyed students, many of whom attended 鈥淯Crossing After Dark鈥� just a few hours earlier, filed into the Tsongas Center, the 51视频 Marching Band warmed up the crowd with a Beatles medley, opening with 鈥淢agical Mystery Tour.鈥� The band later introduced students to UML鈥檚 fight song, 鈥�.鈥�

Manning School of Business alum and 鈥淣ew Hampshire Idol鈥� winner Nicole Hayek 鈥�19 also performed her original song 鈥淲e鈥檒l Explore.鈥�

The ceremony included a welcome from Lowell Mayor William Samaras and a presentation of the colors by the 51视频 Air Force and Army ROTC units.

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President , a junior exercise physiology major from Cumberland, R.I., and a defender on the women鈥檚 soccer team, encouraged students to become involved in the community.

Image by Tory Wesnofske

Andrea Miles, a senior business administration major from Venezuela and transfer student from Middlesex Community College, shared how she鈥檚 been able to grow both personally and professionally at UML thanks to supportive faculty and internship opportunities.

鈥�51视频 is my home far away from home,鈥� Miles said. 鈥淎nd I鈥檓 happy to call the 51视频 community my family.鈥�

The morning was capped by a pitch contest between three student teams from the Rist DifferenceMaker Institute, a campuswide program that engages students in creative problem solving, innovation and entrepreneurship. Voting by text on their phones, students awarded the $1,500 top prize to 鈥�CAT Mat,鈥� a physical therapy project led by graduate students Michelle Mailloux and Katherine Muise.

Freelon, who merges the worlds of art and activism in his work, is co-founder of the Beat Making Lab, an award-winning PBS web series that brings mobile music studios to communities around the world.

Image by Tory Wesnofske

As part of the deep breathing exercise, Freelon shared three tools that he uses to 鈥渕anifest things鈥� in his life. First, he asked students to think of an intention that they want to set and to 鈥渟peak it into existence鈥� while exhaling. The second step, he told students, is to follow their internal compass. The final step is simply to 鈥渕ake it so.鈥�

For Safad Khalifeh, a freshman biology major from Atlanta, Freelon鈥檚 breathing exercise was just what she needed.

鈥淚 was really anxious about starting school, so just seeing how a lot of people were in the same boat helped me feel more relaxed,鈥� said Khalifeh, whose father Nasser earned a degree in radiological sciences from UML in 1991. 鈥淣ow I鈥檓 more excited than anxious.鈥�

Junhong Zeng, a freshman business administration major from China, took notes on his phone to help remember the speakers鈥� words of wisdom, including Freelon鈥檚 line that 鈥渨ords create worlds.鈥�

Image by Tory Wesnofske

鈥淚 really liked that advice,鈥� said Zeng, who was feeling a combination of nervousness and excitement as he started college in a new country and culture. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like an adventure for me.鈥�

Charlie Mahoney, a freshman undeclared liberal arts major from Wellesley, said the intention he stated in Freelon鈥檚 exercise was to meet as many people as possible.

鈥淚鈥檓 trying to branch out, and I鈥檝e done that so far,鈥� he said.

Brittany Cullen, a freshman biology major and first-generation college student from Dracut, said her stated intention was to go to medical school and become a surgeon.

鈥淚 feel pretty good,鈥� Cullen said as she and several friends departed the Tsongas Center and headed to the Engagement Fair on the back lawn. 鈥淚鈥檓 ready.鈥�