Welcome, Butler CCOM Class of 2028

New York City in the summer would get HOT. My father said his favorite way to cool down was running through open fire hydrants. The start of a new academic year always reminds me of this as the university welcomes new students to Bulldog Nation. I mean, they are drinking from the proverbial fire hydrant or hose.  

“New-ness” is everywhere in this next stage of their adventures. There are so many opportunities to pursue, and endless choices about joining this activity or that club. But orientation and “Welcome Week” are honestly a joyful time of the academic year for returning students and faculty alike, and especially for the incoming Class of 2028.

Here’s a look at the past couple weeks from our side of things:

CCOM Leadership Retreat

Fall 2024 festivities began for CCOM last week when we welcomed back the faculty from their well-deserved summers away from campus. CCOM Leadership started it off with a retreat where we discussed our priorities for the coming year. A few days later we hosted a full College faculty meeting filled with smiles, stories, and introductions of our new faculty members. It always warms my heart to see everyone after taking a break from the typical grind. 

Student Move-In Day and Convocation

Students moved into their residences during the last full weekend in August —likely after stopping at Target, IKEA, or Kroger to stock up on necessities and decorate their campus homes. That Sunday we celebrated the time-honored academic ceremony of Convocation, where our new students officially became Bulldogs and launched their journey towards graduation. Lori Greene, vice president of enrollment management, shared the characteristics of our 1,048 new first-year students, including the popular and unique pet names they brought with them. Sydney Haworth, president of the Student Government Association and a speech, language, and hearing sciences (SLHS) major, welcomed her new peers and shared advice for the new students. The event finale was President Danko sharing perspective on what his job entails, and movingly sharing with students how much we care about each and every one of them.

Academic Day  

The Monday before the term started CCOM faculty and staff are provided the opportunity to welcome our new students—seemingly right as they reach peak new info overload. 😊 This is where their great CCOM stories begin. As I told them, four years from now they all will be very different. They will grow based on the choices they make now that they have the freedom a college experience provides. They are now their own authors. Faculty, staff, and other mentors and resources across campus serve as editors, guiding them to the best versions of themselves, but the stories are each student’s to write. 

The new students might be exhausted at this moment—potentially overwhelmed as they persevere through a combination of heat, activity, and a firehose of information they have tried to absorb gracefully. But this challenge empowers them and nurtures their evolution to adulthood. I still maintain that the start of an academic year is, to date, the most exciting adventure in a student’s life. I can’t wait to see what paths they choose to follow and excel in.

To the Class of 2028, and the start of yet another fun-filled, amazing year in CCOM and at Butler!