Connections 2007 Welcomes Students to Campus

Connections 2007 opened Wednesday, Aug. 22, with a welcome from Utah State University Provost and Executive Vice President Raymond T. Coward. The Kent Concert Hall was filled with more than 1,600 students enrolled in the upcoming fall semester.

“Connections prepares students to have a positive college experience in an academic and social atmosphere,” said Noelle Call, director of USU’s retention and first-year experience program. “The program facilitates a smooth transition from high school to college by immersing incoming freshmen in the university, ensuring a successful beginning to university academics.”

 

The course’s goal is to help students make the transition from home to the university setting. The course prepares students for the collegiate experience as they gain friendships and establish a new support network.

 

Call introduced two guests to the crowd, Vice President for Student Services Gary Chambers and Provost Coward.

 

“It is delightful to take in the sight of this hall,” Chambers said. “The room is filled with your energies and we are honored and privileged to have you here at Utah State University. You have a tremendous three days ahead of you during this Connections experience. You represent high schools from across Utah, the country, indeed, the world. Today, you join the ‘Aggie family.’ Welcome.”

 

With that, Chambers led the crowd in the cheer “Go Aggies!”

 

Provost Coward built on the theme.

 

“Welcome. Today you join and become a part of the history of a great American university,” he said. “You come from around the world with the goal of obtaining a degree and ensuring success in life and future. As a group you are one of the most talented classes in the last decade and one out of four of you are from out of state. That enhances campus life and adds to our diversity.”

 

Coward offered advice to the Connections students.

 

“Get to know the faculty,” he said. “Connect with them. Our faculty can opens doors to success. We are enormously proud of our faculty. They embrace teaching and working with undergraduates and that is a real opportunity for you.”

 

Coward’s second piece of advice was to get involved.

 

“There are hundreds of programs on campus, so take advantage of them,” he said. “It might be band for some, outdoor programs for others or civic and church activities — whatever the choice, be active.”

 

The students’ years at USU will fly by, Coward told the group as he concluded.

 

“You are at the beginning today,” he said. “You are laying the foundation for success for the rest of your life. The door is there. The door is open. You’ve been admitted, and when you graduate, you join the family of 200,000 other graduates of this fine university. Enjoy, embrace and engage. Welcome to Utah State University.”

 

The Connections schedule of activities includes class time to ask questions and develop learning strategies for the semester ahead. Students will have the opportunity to improve test-taking skills and to learn time-management techniques. The course includes time for fun activities, including the community-sponsored Taste of Logan food tour.

 

Connections students will attend the Aug. 25 Convocation lecture by Dr. Atul Gawande, author of Complications: A Surgeon’s Notes on an Imperfect Science, professor of Harvard Medical School and staff writer for New Yorker magazine. His lecture covers his award-winning book, taking readers behind the surgical mask and into the modern medicine world. The Cache Valley community is invited to attend the lecture in the Kent Concert Hall on the USU campus at 9:30 a.m.

 

 

Writer: Whitney Wilkinson, (435) 797-8286, whitney.wilkinson@usu.edu