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Ohio University President |
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First impressions last
There are some things you never forget. The first day of my freshman year at the University of Iowa provided just such an experience.
It was September 1954, and I was on my way to an 8 a.m. section of Communication Skills -- my first class on my first day of college. Decked out in a slick new trench coat and carrying my tan leather briefcase, I took what looked like a viable downhill shortcut to cross the Iowa River and head toward Shaeffer Hall.
Did I mention it was raining? Or that it was a steep hill?
It turns out the shortcut might have been a wise choice if I had stayed on my feet. But I didn't. So, sporting a sizeable grass stain and an impressive bit of mud on my new coat, I trekked on to class rather than risk being late.
That course, and even the lesson I learned arriving for it a bit disheveled, proved invaluable.
My high school graduating class in Grand Junction, Iowa, a small community about 150 miles west of the Iowa City campus, was 30 members strong. All 12 grades were housed in one building. Students like me -- I had played saxophone and clarinet since the age of 10, enjoyed athletics and landed a few roles in high school plays -- had plenty of opportunities to get involved and build self-confidence.
And, believe me, walking into that Communication Skills class in the state I did took self-confidence. An honors course that attracted several valedictorians (and others who I'm sure had better academic credentials than I), it honed the written and verbal communication skills we would need to succeed in college and beyond. The fact that I overcame that embarrassing start to turn in a solid performance in the course helped me gain more assurance in myself and my ability to do well in college.
This time of year, Athens is charged with enthusiasm. Campus shakes off the sleepiness of summer and ventures into the new academic year with vigor and commitment. It is both refreshing and rejuvenating.
Today's students are bright, concerned about society and broadly knowledgeable -- traits I wish earned them more headlines than the ones you often see on stories about our nation's college campuses. They are intrigued by the world around them and ready to make their mark. They are respectful of others' views. They are interested in helping their fellow citizens and improving their communities.
This fall's first-year class is especially impressive, counting among its members 211 students who were high school valedictorians and almost 450 whose parents are Ohio University alumni. The first phenomenon can be attributed in large part to a new scholarship program aimed at attracting high-achieving students. The second speaks to the incredible loyalty and fondness alumni and their families have for this place, a dedication unequalled at any other institution with which I have been associated.
And while I hope none of our freshmen had to make an entrance like mine at their first class this fall, I do hope they are confident in themselves and their shot at success in college and afterward. They've earned that self-assurance.
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