Convocation 2023

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In Honor of the Class of 2027 & Transfer Students

Friday, August 25, 2023

ORDER of
EVENTS 

Procession*
Convocation Procession 2023 Premiere

Convocation Brass
Brian Norcross | Senior Director of Instrumental Music and Conducting Studies, Teaching Professor | Conductor

Welcome

Kim Armstrong | College Marshal and Professor of Spanish & Linguistics 

Invocation

Joseph E. Pritchett | Director of Faith and Meaning  

Presentation of the Class of 2027

Hillen Grason | Dean of Admission 

Acceptance of the Class of 2027

Mary Osirim | Interim Provost and Dean of Faculty 

Convocation Address

Jennifer Redmann | Department Chair of German, Russian & East Asian Languages (Chinese, Japanese), Professor of German and the 2022 Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching recipient

Muna Sultana ’24 | Student Body and Diplomatic Congress President (Joint Major: International Relations and Government Minor: Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies)

College House Recognition & Pledge
Drew Stelljes | Vice President of Student Affairs

The Alma Mater*
Reece Chang ’24 | tenor (Major: Music)
Yasmin Nicholas ’24 | conductor (Joint Major: German Language & Culture and Mathematics Minor: Music Performance)

President’s Remarks
Barbara K. Altmann, Ph.D. | President of the College and Professor of French

*Audience if able, is invited to stand

View live captioning and translation services

College Houses

In Order of Recognition

House Crests

Roschel College House

  • Jorge Mena-Ali | Assistant Dean of Faculty Diversity Initiatives and House Don for Roschel College
  • Courtnee N. Jordan-Cox | Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Roschel College House Dean
  • Aryaa Ogale ’24 | Consul, Roschel College House Senate

Brooks College House

  • Alexis Q. Castor | Shirley Watkins Steinman Professor of Classics, Department Chair of Classics, Brooks College House Don
  • Jedrek T. Dineros | Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Brooks College House Dean
  • Juliette Jerome ’26 | President, Brooks College House Congress

Weis College House

  • Dorothy J. Merritts | Harry W. & Mary B. Huffnagle Professor of Geosciences, Weis College House Don
  • Melissa S. Giess | Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Weis College House Dean
  • Ben Schmidt ’25 | Chair, Weis College House Assembly of Peers

Ware College House

  • Justin B. Hopkins | Assistant Director of the Writing Center and Senior Teaching Professor of English, Ware College House Don
  • Shuai Shao | Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Ware College House Dean
  • Kiernan Keller ’26 | Prime Minister, Ware College House Parliament

Bonchek College House

  • Christine P. Piro | Associate Professor of Chemistry, Bonchek College House Don
  • Beth Proffitt | Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Bonchek College House Dean
  • Amaya McIntyre-Taylor ’25  | Chancellor, Bonchek College House Congress

Convocation Marshals

College Marshal

Kim Armstrong | Professor of Spanish & Linguistics

Faculty Marshals

Ryan Trainor | Associate Professor of Physics

Mark R. Villegas | Associate Professor of American Studies

Student Marshals

Gretchen E. Meyers | Professor of Classics

Pamela S. Vail | Professor of Dance

Traditions & Symbols

Alumni Association Convocation Window

The stained glass window was commissioned by the Alumni Association in 1998 and illustrates Franklin & Marshall’s commitment to enlightened intellectual inquiry. The window depicts our namesakes, Benjamin Franklin and John Marshall, and our moto, Lux et Lex. Lux is the Latin word for light and symbolizes the search for knowledge and truth.
Lex means law and represents the establishment of a permanent, rational order of society. It is our hope that the Convocation Window wil be a constant reminder of each student’s responsibility to seek knowledge from each member of our community, and to use it to create a better community and a better world. 

The College Mace

The maple and poplar College Mace was designed by Professor Edmund Whiting, chair of the Department of Art at Franklin & Marshall College, in 1967–68 and created by J.E. Brubaker Pattern Works, formerly of Landisville, Pa. The mace is a replica of the four-spired tower of Old Main, one of the oldest buildings on campus.
Inside the mace is a piece of an oak beam taken from the North Queen Street building where Franklin College established its quarters in 1788, less than a year after its founding. Since it was presented to the College by the Alumni Association at Franklin & Marshall’s 189th Commencement on Sunday, June 11, 1967, the mace has become an official emblem of the College at ceremonial events.

Alma Mater

Alma Mater Lyrics