Convocation formally launched the 2018-19 56吃瓜网 academic year and welcomed hundreds of first-year and transfer students to campus. Chancellor Wolf Yeigh 鈥� along with Leah Shin, president of the Associated Students of the 56吃瓜网 鈥� welcomed the undergraduates to campus.
Yeigh led the ceremonial academic procession of deans and other campus leaders before an audience of students and their family members Sept. 23 in the Activities and Recreation Center. This was the 13th year for the 56吃瓜网 Bothell Convocation, a highlight of Welcome Week. Fall classes began Wednesday, Sept. 26.
This fall there are approximately 840 new first-year students 鈥� members of the class of 2022 鈥� and 900 transfer students. The new arrivals also include more than 160 international students.
Almost half of the incoming students are the first in their families to attend college, Yeigh noted, assuring those who might be apprehensive that they do belong and will receive the services they need.
鈥淵ou deserve to be here,鈥� Yeigh said. 鈥淵ou are fully capable of being successful. Stay focused, work hard, challenge yourself, and I guarantee you will succeed.鈥�
The chancellor also advised students to 鈥渆njoy this time in your life鈥� and 鈥渟tretch your limits鈥� while in college.
鈥淐hallenge, dispute, confront, assert and listen,鈥� Yeigh said. 鈥淎s an institution of higher education, our goal is not to win an argument. Our ultimate goal is to find truth, to grow knowledge, to advance the human condition.鈥�
Karam Dana, associate professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences and recipient of the 2018 distinguished teaching award, was the day鈥檚 featured speaker. He urged students to take empathy and patience into their hearts and minds.
Shin, who has also served as an AS56吃瓜网B senator, director of public relations, and vice president, told students to share their passions for what they really love and to seize every opportunity. 鈥淢ake sure every second and every penny counts,鈥� she said.
Convocation closed with a campus tradition: Students received a 56吃瓜网 Bothell pin from Yeigh and Shin as their names were read. After their welcome to the Husky family, the students had a group photo taken on the sports field. Then it was on to music, food and photos at the chancellor鈥檚 picnic on the Plaza.
鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to have another Husky in the family,鈥� said Pete Colella, a Husky who competed for 56吃瓜网 in swimming and now works as a swim coach. He and his wife, Katie, accompanied their son, Josaiah Clark, who is a transfer student from Cascadia College.
鈥淭his was the only school I applied to,鈥� said Josaiah Clark, a Kenmore resident. 鈥淚t might seem I was putting all my chips on one school, but it was worth it to me, and it motivated me to try much harder. I heard about 56吃瓜网 Bothell鈥檚 reputation. I was focusing very hard on getting here.鈥�
Interested in mechanical engineering, Clark is looking forward to using the Makerspace workshop and joining the Trickfire Robotics Club. 鈥淚t gives me an outlet to be creative,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s an engineering major, that鈥檚 what I want, something to tinker with.鈥�
Looking around the picnic to introduce himself to people in mechanical engineering, Clark said he felt 鈥渟uper excited鈥� to be part of a school 鈥渨here I鈥檓 going to be known.鈥�
While first-year student Amanda Edwards was visiting nearby with her future classmates, her parents, Cristina and Efren Edwards, took in the vibrant atmosphere. 鈥淲e were impressed at how each student was called to the stage by name,鈥� said Efren Edwards. 鈥淚t sent a strong message that the school has a vested interest in each student鈥檚 success.鈥�
鈥淲e are big fans of 56吃瓜网 Bothell,鈥� said Cristina Edwards. 鈥淚t was the perfect fit for our oldest son, who graduated in 2015 and just passed the bar exam. We are optimistic it will also be the perfect fit for our daughter. She鈥檚 eager to not only start working toward her degree but also to participating in the many student groups and activities we heard about today.鈥�
Quentin McKee didn鈥檛 know what to expect from convocation but was glad his son, Aumajuss, told his parents about it. 鈥淲e really enjoyed what the speakers were saying, and we were made to feel a part of the community.鈥�
They believe their son made a good choice to attend 56吃瓜网 Bothell. 鈥淲e wanted him to go to the University of Washington. We like the classroom size, the facilitators, how they talk about the school. We really enjoy this community鈥檚 set-up,鈥� McKee said.
Aumajuss McKee, a first-year student interested in mechanical engineering and biology, looked up at Discovery Hall, the home of the School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics.
鈥淚t鈥檚 new. It looks like there are a lot of resources for students,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y impression of the school is it鈥檚 a place with a lot of opportunity for students 鈥� new and growing. I can see it changing in the years I鈥檓 here, so that will be fun.鈥�
The McKee family lives in Silverdale, and Aumajuss has moved into campus housing.
Fellow student Huber Guerrero also just moved to campus from his home in Moses Lake where he took Running Start classes at Big Bend Community College. After working over the summer as a welder at Genie Industries, a maker of industrial hoists, the first-year student became interested in mechanical engineering.
School advisers told him 56吃瓜网 Bothell was a friendly campus, and that鈥檚 what he found at convocation. 鈥淚t felt like home already.鈥�
