NDSU’s incoming class was officially welcomed to fall semester by Provost Beth Ingram; Timothy Alvarez, vice president for student affairs; Sarah Russell, student body president; and Hilary Haugeberg, student body vice president, during ceremonies Aug. 25. The students were led through the university gates and gathered on the mall area near Old Main.
Addressing the freshmen, Alvarez said they are joining an outstanding university and expectations are high.
“This is an exciting and unprecedented time to be at NDSU,” he said to the crowd. “We are a student-focused, land-grant research university and you’re part of one of our largest freshman classes. Your success is really linked to our success. You’re one of the most academically talented groups of students we’ve ever had at NDSU, so I think you deserve a round of applause.”
Russell and Haugeberg offered suggestions for the freshmen, wishing them a successful start to their collegiate careers.
“If we were to give you one piece of advice, for me, it would be to get involved,” said Haugeberg, urging students to take part in Welcome Week events to find activities of interest. “We have so many organizations and opportunities for students to be involved, whether that is in a professional organization, recreational organization or maybe a service opportunity.”
Meantime, Russell said her advice for incoming students is to build lasting relationships. “Reach out. Make new friends, whether with your peers, faculty members or administrators,” Russell said. “Take this week to get to know the people around you.”
Alvarez also introduced Mark Randklev, one of the first students to be admitted for fall semester. Randklev is a marketing major from Minnetrista, Minnesota.
Randklev said he was looking forward to the academic and social challenges of collegiate life, and he said he wanted to meet each of his classmates. “I would like to challenge each of you here today to not settle for mediocrity. We’re coming to college with a fresh start; there is nothing holding us back,” said Randklev, who is the son of Keith and Beth Randklev. “Let’s be the leaders, innovators and role models that we’ve looked up to our whole lives. We can be the people that we want to be. So, let’s go do that.”
The Gold Star Marching Band, NDSU Yell Leaders and cheer team added music and school spirit to the welcome event. As the ceremony wrapped up, students received NDSU T-shirts to wear to football games and other campus activities.
NDSU is recognized as one of the nation’s top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.