By Karlie Baker
IV Leader Editor, Sept. 13, 2007
Illinois Valley Community College recently held its first annual New Student Convocation in addition to Spirit Day on Wednesday, Sept. 29.
The idea for Convocation came about a year and a half ago, according to English instructor Dolores Robinson. She, along with a number of faculty and staff members, formed a committee who designed the ceremony as a “formal way of making freshman understand that college is different than high school, an exciting start to higher education.”
Freshman students participated in discussions with their 10 a.m. instructors that morning detailing IVCC’s core values. After the discussion, all freshmen attended a formal ceremony in the Cultural Centre.
IVCC President Dave Louis and Vice President for Student Services Bob Marshall delivered the welcome. Sociology instructor Merri Mattison made a short presentation, followed by SGA President Michelle Franklin and Student Trustee Liz Kunkel.
Following the ceremony, students were encouraged to participate in the Spirit Day festivities on the lawn.
Student reactions to the convocation are mixed. Kaylee Ficek found the presentations to be “welcoming.”
Other students such as Adam Boaz cited that it “felt like a high school assembly all over again.” Robinson’s informal survey did, however, find that the convocation had it successes.
“One student said she got a distinct feeling that faculty and administrators cared that she succeeds,” which Robinson said was a personal goal of committee members.
Thus far, plans to continue the Convocation tradition are in the works.