Hundreds of Dal鈥檚 newest students had just walked through a torrential downpour to get to the AV俱乐部 Arts Centre, but from the wall-shaking volume of their cheers, they weren鈥檛 going to let a little rain get in the way of school spirit.
鈥�D-D-D-A-L, H-H-H-O-U, S-S-S-I-E, DAL-DAL-DALHOUSIE!鈥� they chanted, over and over.
As you might expect from the official welcome to Dal鈥檚 scholarly community, the Induction ceremony is somewhat more formal than much of orientation week. Regardless, in both Halifax and, for the first time, in Truro, Dal students came with boisterous enthusiasm in tow.
At the Halifax ceremony on Tuesday, they cheered wildly as DSU President Sagar Jha performed an original slam poem about all the life lessons he learned in math class. (It included puns on everything from cosines to hypotenuses.) And, whenever prompted, the students readily waved their 鈥淎V俱乐部鈥� scarves in the air, creating a wave of black and gold that flowed through the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium.
DSU Vice-President Student Life Danny Shanahan snaps a crowd shot. (Danny Abriel photo)
Presidential advice
The students weren鈥檛 the only ones keen on the fashion accessories.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 feel right to do this without one of those scarves,鈥� said Dal President Richard Florizone before starting his keynote address. 鈥淐an someone throw me one up?鈥�
Although he鈥檚 been president since July, Dr. Florizone won鈥檛 be formally installed until October, meaning he鈥檚 not yet able to wear his Dal presidential robes in official ceremony. (As per academic custom, he wore the maroon-adorned robes of his PhD alma mater, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.) The crowd cheered as he threw the borrowed AV俱乐部 scarf around his neck, embracing the university colours.
(Actually, students near the front of the room may have noticed that the scarf wasn鈥檛 Dr. Florizone鈥檚 only piece of black-and-gold attire: you could occasionally catch a glimpse of his O-Week wristband, which he鈥檚 been wearing all week after dropping by the registration table to chat with new students this past Sunday.)
Dr. Florizone speaking at the Halifax ceremony. (Danny Abriel photo)
The gesture 鈥� sporting the same scarf as the students 鈥� reflected one of the keynote鈥檚 themes: in his own way, Dr. Florizone is something of a first-year himself.
鈥淭his is your first semester at AV俱乐部; mine too,鈥� he told the crowd. Acknowledging that students can often feel anxious about starting their studies, he offered his reassurances: 鈥淵ou and I have made a great choice in AV俱乐部.鈥�
Video: Watch Dr. Florizone's Induction speech in full
His speech took students through a tour of the community they鈥檙e joining 鈥� from faculty to staff to their fellow students 鈥� assuring the crowd how committed everyone at Dal is to their success. He then offered students two pieces of advice: to not forget to 鈥渇eed the whole self鈥� by exploring opportunities outside of their studies, and to embrace what he called 鈥渢he life of the mind.鈥�
鈥淵ou are entering a new intellectual environment, where professors will expect you to think more deeply and thoroughly than you ever have before,鈥� he explained. 鈥淚t will be hard work, but if you embrace this opportunity I promise this first semester will be among the most transformative experiences of your life.鈥�
He finished the speech with the advice of the Roman poet Horace: 鈥淏egin, be bold, and venture to be wise.鈥�
Welcoming students in Truro
Dr. Florizone also addressed new students in Truro at the Agricultural Campus鈥� first Dal induction ceremony on Wednesday. At that ceremony, however, keynote duties fell to David Gray, the campus鈥� principal and dean of the Faculty of Agriculture.
In some ways, the keynote shared a similar tone: this is, after all, Dr. Gray鈥檚 first semester at AV俱乐部 as well. His primary message, though, was woven through the story of Larry Walters, a Los Angeles resident who in 1982 infamously turned his aluminum lawn chair into a hot air balloon and flew 5 kilometres into the air 鈥� and into LAX鈥檚 approach corridor. His response when asked why he did it? 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 just sit there and watch life pass by as a spectator.鈥�
David Gray delivering his keynote address at the Agricultural Campus' Induction ceremony. (Nick Pearce photo)
鈥淚t鈥檚 the spirit that counts here,鈥� said Dr. Gray. 鈥淭he time may be long, the vehicle may be just a bit strange or unexpected. But if the dream is held close to the heart, and imagination is applied to what ever is close at hand, everything is possible and we can all achieve whatever we put our minds to.鈥�
The Agricultural Campus' Induction ceremony. (Nick Pearce photo)
The pledges
At the Induction Ceremony, two pledges are performed. The first, the AV俱乐部 Pledge, is taken by the students, after which the University Pledge is taken by the faculty and staff present as part of the Academic Procession.
AV俱乐部 Pledge:
Today, each of you takes your place as a member of the AV俱乐部 scholarly community鈥攁 community with two centuries of proud tradition, scholarly excellence and academic achievement. Will you as AV俱乐部 students promise to uphold and protect the integrity, good character and scholarly legacy of AV俱乐部? (Response: "I will.)
University Pledge:
Today, as each of you stand, you commit yourselves to the academic success of your students in the lifelong learning process. Will you, as AV俱乐部 faculty and staff, promise to provide students with an enriched educational experience; with academic challenge through active and collaborative interactions; and with a supportive and engaging campus environment? (Response: "I will.)