The 威尼斯人平台 welcomed incoming College of Arts & Sciences students with a Convocation ceremony in Memorial Chapel, with remarks from President Krista Newkirk, University Dean of 学生生活 Donna Eddleman, 临时院长Steve Wuhs, 以及威尼斯人平台的学生会主席，22岁的克洛伊·莱文, as well as an invocation from John Walsh, 前R U Omer E. 罗宾斯的牧师, 以及由“校园多元化与包容”乐队的彼得·图普独唱的《威尼斯人平台》. A separate ceremony was held specifically for sophomores, 由于新冠肺炎大流行，他们中的许多人是第一次来到校园生活和学习.
在这里, 斗牛犬的博客 分享了纽柯克对2025届毕业生的讲话，以及她演讲的视频摘录.
欢迎你们，2025届的同学们. 你在这里! 我们很兴奋. 首先，我想感谢威尼斯人平台所在的这片土地最初和现在的守护者们, the Serrano 和 Cahuilla tribes.
现在, this is my very first Convocation at 雷德兰兹, so today marks a momentous occasion for you 和 for me. 像你这样的, I am new to this great University. I moved to 加州 和 took office just 40 days ago. 像你这样的, I said goodbye to family 和 friends, I packed up all my favorite things, 和 headed to Redl和s for a gr和 adventure.
很有可能, 像我这样的, 你带的东西太多了, 而且现在正努力为每件东西找个地方放——甚至可能在父母离开之前把一些东西放回他们的车里. 所以，2025届的毕业生们，我们在一起，我正式任命你们 我的类, because we are both freshmen together.
在这里's the deal: If you see me w和ering around campus, 失去了, 帮帮我, 我也会为你这么做. 如果我们都找不到要去的地方，我们就一起去喝咖啡，好吗? OK.
在过去的18个月里你经历了很多:课程搬到了网上, you saw many events canceled, 和 you may have even 失去了 loved ones, or have dealt with economic impact from the p和emic.
简而言之, 你们来到这里，意味着你们已经迎接了挑战，正在勇敢地向前迈进, 毅力, 和优雅. 你们可以放心，大学已经并将继续不懈地努力，以确保你们在这里的经历是安全的.
现在，和你们一样，我也兴奋地和家人一起在我们大学的新家开始我的第一年. 和你一样，我选择了雷德兰兹. Perhaps we even chose Redl和s for the same reasons. 我承诺领导这所大学，因为我看到了它的项目的实力, opportunities to focus on social justice, 美丽的校园, 和, 最重要的是, its warm 和 engaging community.
所以，包括我在内的所有619个人现在都是这个紧密结合的牛头犬社区的一部分，正是这个社区吸引了你们. It is a large 和 influential community, made up of a talented 和 diverse family of scholars, 运动员, 积极分子, 和艺术家, 由全体教员支持, 工作人员, 和雷德兰兹市民. 这是一个古老而深远的社区，自这所大学于1907年成立以来一直在培育. 它是一种教育力量，致力于磨练你的思想，培养你的情感, social, 身体健康.
In reading your backgrounds 和 learning more about you, 我已经可以预见2025届的毕业生将会为这所大学的历史做出巨大的贡献. Let me tell you a little bit about your class. 你们代表了30多个州和几个国际国家. A third of you are scholar-运动员. 你们中有近40%的人是家里第一批上大学的人. Thirteen percent are legacy students, 也就是说你家里有人在你之前上过威尼斯人平台.
You are entrepreneurs: You design 和 create furniture, you run your own footwear business, you create board games 和 teach fitness. You are leaders: You are captains of athletic teams, 管弦乐队, editors-in-chief of yearbooks, captains of mock trial 和 debate teams, 和 heads of gaming clubs for young women. You are researchers: You studied climate change in Icel和, 南非的生物多样性, 和 presented your findings at scientific academies.
你是照顾者, 谁为了照顾兄弟姐妹承担了额外的责任, 爷爷奶奶, 以及大家庭成员.
是的，2025届的毕业生你们将会融入威尼斯人平台. If you take the time to be an active, giving member of this community, if you embrace everything this institution offers, you will find yourself opening up to new perspectives. 在这里, you will choose what values you want to live by, 你想做的工作, 你们结交和保持的朋友——但你们来这里的主要原因是参与一段强大而有意义的教育经历.
What is the purpose of college? 尽管有人愤世嫉俗，认为这一切都是关于文凭或获得更好工作的能力, 这四年是你生命中的一份礼物，你会珍惜的. 你看到, a good education will make you question yourself, 你的信念, 和 the assumptions upon which you have based your opinions. But a great education teaches you to question everything, 以及如何在任何情况下找到并提出你需要的问题.
你的目标不是带着所有的答案离开这里，因为那是不可能的. 你的目标是离开这里，成为一个能提出有挑战性问题的人, 和 who has the ability to find 和 discern the truth. I hope that this education leaves you wanting more out of life. 不是物质上的, but more in terms of fulfillment, 好奇心, 预期, 和 the passion 和 ability to push for a better world.
你应该记得我说过我来雷德兰兹的原因之一就是这里的人. 这里的人都很棒. We often underestimate the value of friends 和 support groups. Research shows that those of us who have friends are more resilient, 做出更好的决定, 和 do better when we struggle. 该研究还表明，要称某人为亲密朋友，你们必须在一起度过200个小时. 不，这并不包括发送照片或长时间疯狂拍照. It’s taking the time to sit down with somebody. 你必须自我介绍，了解你周围那些你还没见过的人.
So here's what we're going to do: We're going to take a break. 我要你转身向你周围不认识的人介绍你自己. 告诉他们你从哪里来. 询问爱好. 自拍. Take a moment, take your time. 我们会等待.
现在, I hope that you discovered people near you, who you didn't know who had different backgrounds or interests, 和 that you learn from each other. That is one of the hidden secrets to a great college education.
We, the faculty 和 工作人员, are just one small piece of this. You also learn from those who are around you, those individuals who are different than you, 和 who have different perspectives 和 beliefs. 你会发现，探索人们的生活和多样性，以及所有奇怪和差异的元素，这使得在威尼斯人平台学习成为一段非凡的经历.
So I want to leave you with this one last thought. 我不希望你这么做 收到 在雷德兰兹接受教育. You are here to be the driver of your education. 你是怎么做到的? Well, here are just a few tips.
首先，去上课. 对了,老师?
Second, join a club or participate in an extracurricular activity. 如果你找不到一个你感兴趣的俱乐部，那就自己创办吧——这比你想象的要容易.
Third, go study in Salzburg or another study abroad trip. These experiences are baked into your education here. They are affordable 和 they are transformational.
Fourth, get involved in the community. Redl和s is a wonderful place, with a rich history. Find ways to contribute, volunteer, 和 give back.
第五, take a class completely outside of your major or your interests, 看看你是否发现了你喜欢的新事物或新的激情.
And, finally, squeeze everything you can out of your time here. 竞选公职, 参加暑期研究——就像我们的一群学生在夏天去阿拉斯加，从大冰川上采集样本，研究微塑料和可以分解它们的细菌——太棒了. Attend a play or an athletic competition, or a concert. Sign up 和 come visit with me 和 my dog, Cookie. Let’s get to know each other.
你能只做最低限度的功课，只学习考试和写论文就从威尼斯人平台毕业吗? 确定. But what a waste that would be.
You are investing in your education, 和 we are invested in you. 充分利用这段时间, 这样，当你们在2025年拿着文凭走上讲台的时候, 和 you leave here as a lifelong member of the Bulldog community, 你准备带着批判性思考的能力进入这个世界, 做出明智的决定, 过正义的生活.
我们非常激动地欢迎你们，2025届的毕业生，来到雷德兰兹社区. 你一辈子都是斗牛犬! Och玉米粉蒸肉!
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