Hartwick College’s Wick Week helps incoming students experience the school’s traditions and get settled on campus.
On Thursday, Aug. 22, Hartwick hosted its 97th opening convocation for a class of 372 new first-year and transfer students, who were decked out in blue.
Hartwick President James Mullen said Thursday that every convocation is filled with positive energy and anticipation.
He said he feels the event encapsulates what it means to live in the campus community, and students get to “embrace the experience.”
“Tradition really matters at Hartwick,” he said.
The convocation started with a prelude from the Hartwick Faculty Brass ensemble.
The procession filed into the Lambros Arena in the Binder Gymnasium where rows of seats were set for faculty and academic staff, outfitted in regalia, and the class of 2028 dressed in school colors.
The Broome County Celtic Pipes and Drums performed until everyone was seated, then Mullen gave welcoming remarks.
He said that Hartwick invited students to live a balanced life of “intellectual rigor with a full array of opportunities to learn and to grow beyond the classroom.”
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Laurel Bongiorno explained the matriculation ceremony.
It’s tradition for Hartwick students to sign the matriculation book when they enter as freshman and when they graduate as seniors.
She explained the colored velvet on the hoods of the faculty and staff in the front two rows — light blue being education, purple representing law, pink representing music.
Bongiorno said that new students should take advantage of new opportunities like traveling and studying abroad, while keeping a focus on the importance of their education.
Student Government Association Vice President Amelia Williams, a junior, spoke about her journey as a student at Hartwick.
“No matter your major, or if you’re undecided, these four years on this hill will be filled with opportunities to create memories and build relationships that will last a lifetime,” she said.
Vice President for Enrollment Management and Athletics Bryan Gross provided some statistics on the class of 2028.
He said that students from this class have traveled from 20 states and 11 foreign countries to come to Hartwick.
He said that the class’s high school average is 88% and the average SAT score is a 1216. The class is interested in 32 different areas of academic study at Hartwick.
Gross’s speech was followed by a performance from the Hartwick Faculty Brass Band.
Political science professor Laurel Elder spoke to the class about political involvement while in college.
She said that most students begin to find their own political opinions in college, and an election year is a good time to get involved.
“Centering yourself in your values and acting in alignment with those values will help you succeed in your courses and will help you lead a more meaningful life,” she said.
Runyararo Chaora, a senior and international student from Zimbabwe studying biochemistry and math, shared some of her experiences at Hartwick with her professors. She said that it is important to reach out to your professors and see them as an asset to your education.
“Passion is the trait that is most common among the faculty I have met on this campus,” she said.
Chaora’s speech was followed by closing remarks from Mullen, and Hartwick’s alma mater performed by the Hartwick Faculty Brass band.
Students then participated in signing the school’s matriculation book, solidifying their place as Hartwick students.