Photo courtesy of: OUSThe featured alumni speaker at Convocation was Candice Crawford Morris, Associate Vice Provost for Instruction Innovation at Ohio University.

New students to Ohio University Southern celebrated the beginning of their academic journey with Convocation activities on Aug. 22, which included featured speaker Candice Crawford Morris, associate vice provost for instruction innovation at Ohio University.

Morris credits much of her professional success to the foundational experiences she had as a student at Ohio Southern. She encouraged the students to embrace the college experience because “hopefully helps transform you as a person by expanding your breadth of knowledge while challenging your beliefs and assumptions, and encouraging you to think critically.”

Students were welcomed to the Bobcat family by faculty and staff. Nicole Pennington, interim executive dean for regional higher education and dean of the Southern Campus said the event shows the incoming students they are an important part of the academic community.

“We want to show them our faculty and staff are here to support them (on their journey), Pennington said.

The Convocation was sponsored by Citizens Deposit Bank and included music, games, and the Dean’s Welcome Reception and Celebration in the Shafer Courtyard.

Photo courtesy of: OUSThe Dean’s Welcome Reception and Celebration was held in the Shafer Courtyard.

Photo courtesy of: OUSStephanie Burcham, director of development, led the new students in Stand Up and Cheer.