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Students urged to get involved
New students welcomed to UB at annual event in Center for the Arts
By KEVIN FRYLING
Reporter Staff Writer
Get involved.
Students and their families gathered for a picnic
at Baird Point after the University Welcome.
PHOTO: DOUGLAS LEVERE
That was the key piece of advice President John B. Simpson and other members of the university community offered to new students as they welcomed them and their parents to UB on Friday during the third annual University Welcome.
The event, held in the Mainstage theater in the Center for the Arts, North Campus, included remarks by Simpson; Satish K. Tripathi, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs; D. Joseph Mook, professor and chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and assistant dean in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; a parent of three UB students; and two UB undergraduates. Also featured were musical performances and a video presentation.
"You're entering a remarkable time in your lives," Simpson told the freshmen and incoming transfer students who filled the auditorium. "You have in front of you an astonishing array of opportunities: classes, clubs, cultural events, social opportunities and all sorts of activities—some curricular, some extracurricular."
The undergraduate years are a unique time in life in which myriad resources are available to experiment and explore one's interests, he said, noting that the chance to investigate these opportunities often fades in the face of other responsibilities as time goes on.
"You could ignore all of these opportunities in front of you and simply go about taking your classes, or you could take advantage of them," Simpson said. "I heartily recommend you do the latter...In my view, the university is a feast: Dine with care, but dine thoroughly, and dine with enthusiasm. You won't have a spread like this in front of you again."
Tripathi added that participation in undergraduate research and study abroad programs—as well as new programs such as freshman seminars and undergraduate academies—are just a few of the ways students can get the most of their undergraduate experience.
"Here you are a part of a greater student body, applying your educational knowledge and creative imaginations toward social justice goals," he said, noting that members of the Class of 2011 represent the most academically accomplished freshman class in UB's history. "It is my challenge to you, in your undergraduate years at UB, to explore the richness of UB and the greater world of which it is a part.
"May curiosity, humanity, integrity and persistence be your hallmark as you begin a new chapter," he added.
In his address, Mook encouraged students to communicate with their professors and work with them to discover the things they're truly passionate about.
"Beginning Monday, we're going to start this great adventure," he said. "We're going to help you find the passion of your life; we're going to help you succeed at it. It's going to be a challenge for you at times—it's going to be difficult—but it's also going to be the most exciting and rewarding thing you've ever done."
Leslie Zielinski, a UB alumna and parent of three UB students, urged parents in the audience to support and communicate frequently with their children—but to encourage independence by not stepping in to solve problems for them.
"The most important thing that any new college student has to learn to be successful is self-reliance and being accountable for one's actions," she said. "UB is a very large place...with tremendous resources to solve just about any problems a student encounters; however, it will take personal initiative on your child's behalf to take advantage of those resources."
Peter Grollitsch, president of the undergraduate Student Association, recommended students get involved by joining one of the more than 120 clubs and organizations on campus, as well as taking advantage of concerts, speakers and other events at UB.
"Our student government is visible and vibrant," he noted. "We serve as the voice of the students and provide programs and services that add much to campus life. Make your voice louder by participating."
The program also included performances by the UB Brass Ensemble; the Buffalo Chips, UB's all-male a cappella group; and Graham Stewart, associate vice president for alumni relations, who led the audience in singing the UB alma mater. A picnic for new students and their families at Baird Point on the North Campus was held after the University Welcome.