Speakers give advice, take selfie at Convocation

Kevin Patterson graduated from Grand Valley with a master's degree in 2005 and on August 24, he finally got his selfie with President Thomas J. Haas.

It happened during the speech Patterson gave in front of thousands of first-year students, faculty and staff members, and guests at Convocation in the Fieldhouse. 

After the photo, he told the audience what he has learned about Grand Valley since graduating. Patterson, who earned bachelor's and master's degrees in accounting, is a certified public accountant for BDO in Grand Rapids. "As an alum of Grand Valley, I've learned that the Grand Valley connection, and the relationships you build, is powerful," he said. "I'm the first Asian partner in the history of BDO in Grand Rapids."

Other speakers offered advice to students. Provost Maria Cimitile said faculty and staff members have worked hard to create a place for learning and asked students to be open to change. "Education is the expansion of knowledge and skills and that is only possible if you embrace change," she said. View the video that aired during the event.

Speaking at his last Convocation before retiring, Haas said the power of education and lifelong learning is akin to turning on the lights or starting a fire.

"Our liberal arts tradition sets the stage brilliantly for all of that," Haas said. "Approach your classes as you would an amazing opportunity, for that is what they are. They are your opportunity to soar to new heights."

Rachel Jenkin, president of Student Senate, gave several pieces of advice to her fellow students, including to make mistakes.

"I know that may sound weird but, trust me, it's an effective way to learn," Jenkin said, explaining she once forgot to bring a calculator to a statistics exam, which prompted her to visit her professor during office hours and ask for help.

Felix Ngassa, professor of chemistry and chair of University Academic Senate, said faculty members play a crucial role in helping students find a sense of belonging on campus. He also offered advice: "Get into the mindset of being a Laker by embracing challenges and finding lessons and inspiration in the successes of others, rather than being threatened."

Faculty-Staff Address

Haas gave an address to faculty and staff members in the Haas Center for Performing Arts prior to Convocation centered on how each employee is critical to Grand Valley’s future success and its mission. Watch full video.

"Grand Valley has strong roots that extend beyond the reach of any president, board member or employee," he said. "Each of you can lead in your own areas and affect positive change."

Haas said declining state funding and a decrease in the number of high school graduates will create challenges for the university, but offered an example of how teamwork helped increase enrollment for the spring/summer semester. He said deans and faculty working to schedule and provide needed classes combined with a social media push to students increased enrollment by 4 percent. 

He also introduced a new initiative, the Student Success Partnership Network, that will involve faculty mentors and first-year students. 

"When you have this focus on rigor and relevance, and focus on one student at a time, this will help with retention," he said.