Wells College is hereby officially open for its 130th academic year. Welcome back everyone, and welcome particularly to all new students. It is my great pleasure to be here with you this evening.
Opening Convocation is a special tradition at Wells. We can trace it back to 1875 when Henry Wells gave his famous address describing his inspiration for establishing our college and his belief in women's education. We gather together now prepared to carry the tradition forward knowing that our world needs, more than ever before, women who have benefited from the rigorous liberal arts education Wells provides.
Opening Convocation is a celebration of the academic spirit that unites us. Our present Opening Convocation also incorporates an older tradition called Cap and Gown Day - when the seniors first appear in academic regalia. True to that tradition, the Class of 1998 is with us tonight. Congratulations.
We also welcome the Class of 2001, a group of gifted women who join us from across the nation and around the globe. As the newest members of our learning community, you join a sisterhood of thousands of graduates who have shaped our culture, politics and institutions. All of you have an important place in the new world of the next century, and the education Wells offers is necessary for your success. Your challenge is to use your liberal arts education to understand and then assume a leadership role in the technological and cultural revolution that is transforming the world.
At Wells, students live in and help sustain a nurturing and supportive community. Wells women know virtually every member of their class as well as the entire student body on a first-name basis. In many ways, this is a privileged world where free expression and the life of the mind are valued above all else. A belief in the importance of a close-knit community in the educational process has been an essential part of our history and is one important reason why Wells has chosen to remain small: The Wells experience is very much about the depth and quality of relationships.
We hear from alumnae across the world and across generations that closeness between faculty and students makes a Wells education special. Faculty members know their students and care deeply about them. They are dedicated to teaching and scholarship. Seek out, maintain and cherish those relationships. They will be among your fondest memories of Wells.
Our interdisciplinary curriculum provides us with diverse academic opportunities. The liberal arts are a way for you to explore fields and ideas that you never knew existed. A look at courses offered this semester shows the wealth and depth of academics at this college. Courses reflect the great tradition of the liberal arts as well as the distinctive ways professors are reaching across disciplines to expand the boundaries of knowledge.
Here are just a few course titles from among many that illustrate our approach: Chemistry, Nature and Society; Gender Issues in the British and American Novel; Environmental Studies in the Cayuga Basin; Europe Encounters its Others; Ethics and Social Policy; Old and New Paradigms in World Politics; Networking and the Internet; Family and Changing Gender Roles; and From Page to Stage.
To the members of the Class of 2001, transfer and returning students, I advise: As you encounter new ideas, test them. When you find new things you're interested in, try them. Don't fear either success or failure. A positive academic community is here to support you and share in your excitement. When you have discovered what interests you and what brings out your talents, immerse yourself in it. It might not be what you had planned for yourself. Regardless, if you love it, pursue it. Allow your knowledge to grow and transform.
The strength of our learning community was re-affirmed last week when we discovered that Wells has been chosen as a best value among national liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report. Wells has received a #2 ranking in the nation in a special section on financing college in the September 8 issue of U.S. News. We are recognized for offering a high quality of education at a reasonable cost. For too long we've remained a best kept secret. I'm thrilled that the quality of our programs is receiving this attention
Perhaps even more important, Wells has risen to the second tier of national liberal arts colleges in the September 1 issue of America's Best Colleges, also published by U.S. News. This rapid rise in the country's #1-selling college guide reflects the respect our curriculum is gaining in the world of higher education and the quality of our students - not to mention the hard work of the community. Additionally, we have been rated #11 in the nation among liberal arts colleges with the highest proportion of classes under 20 students - considered a key criteria in judging the quality of colleges.
According to the August Almanac issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education, Wells is the #1 educational institution in the U.S. in alumnae support per student and the #7 educational institution in total support per student. This serves as a reminder that our community extends far beyond this group in Phipps Auditorium. Alumnae and friends of the college are giving generously of their resources to make Wells a great institution.
We have incredible talent gathered here tonight, and I have no doubt that our community will receive even greater recognition in this new year. While Wells exists to help students grow, remember that you must contribute by sharing your talents. The excellence of your education is also reflected in what you give to this learning community.
Make sure you explore all the opportunities here. Share your ideas in classes, seminars, labs and campus activities. Extend your learning beyond campus. Wells and the village of Aurora are connected in ways that other "college towns" can never hope to achieve, and this extended community also adds to the quality of the Wells experience.
You can only benefit from the best education if you come with a true desire to learn and grow. This desire empowers you with a great deal of responsibility. Working collaboratively with your professors, you decide where and how far to take yourself. When you discover the importance of collaboration in education, then you can see the importance of a learning community.
We now begin the Candlelight Ceremony, another tradition that can be traced to the earliest days of the college and reflects Henry Wells' philosophy of education. The ceremony was especially prominent in the 1930s when all students were inducted into the Service League, a non-denominational organization, in September of each year. In the early 1960s, students were required to wear white dresses and gloves for the occasion. Although the ceremony has evolved through the years, its meaning remains constant.
Symbolic of the Wells Connection, the candle flame will be passed from the alumnae, this year represented by Holly Gosselink Davidson '72 and Patty Wenzel Callahan '79, to the senior class. The seniors will pass it on to their sisters and to the newest members of the Wells community. Thus, the flame is the ongoing Wells Connection. From generation to generation, it serves as the support which Wells women give one another throughout their lives. Included also are the Wells faculty. Their commitment to Wells students has inspired and enabled Wells women to gain knowledge, confidence and character.
The Candlelight Ceremony symbolizes the lives of the entire Wells community. The passing of the flame represents all that is best about ourselves and about Wells. Keep the flame burning, keep Wells strong, pass it on.
Delivered August 28, 1997 in Phipps Auditorium of Wells College
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