Call to Convocation 2021
Remarks by Dr. Ronna Vanderslice
Vice President for Academic Affairs
I want to welcome all of you to Convocation. This year, as we requested feedback about Convocation from groups on campus, the Student Government Association asked many great questions about the purpose of the event. I will take advantage of this opportunity to answer their questions.
Convocation, in its most simple form, means calling together a group of people for a special purpose. At Cameron, Convocation is our opportunity to celebrate your achievements – whether it is joining an academic honor society or receiving a scholarship to support you on your academic journey. In a way, Convocation serves as a reminder of the dream or goal you had in mind when you started college and we hope it will serve as a motivator for you to keep going, and to continue striving for excellence as you pursue your degree.
We can all admit that this past year has been extremely tough and not what any of us could have ever expected. One thing we learned is that we should take advantage of every opportunity to celebrate special moments in our lives – no matter how small they may seem at the time. I hope you’ll enjoy our video that highlights our students, faculty and staff who consistently make Cameron University a wonderful place of learning.
If you look for a positive takeaway from last year, we all learned how strong and resilient we truly are. As students, you had to adapt to a new way of learning and a new way of living. Your college experience may not have been all you expected due to the pandemic, but you have made the most of what has been handed to you. You are being recognized because you have struggled and overcome … you have sacrificed and prospered … and you have endeavored and succeeded.
But your time at Cameron isn’t over. You still have time left to leave your mark here – some of you have only a few months while others still have years. As a recognized leader on our campus, you have the opportunity to pay it forward by mentoring others and being a part of their support system. Most of you have reached out to your own support networks while at Cameron – it may have been faculty or staff members or even other students – who have offered a listening ear or graciously given some extra time explaining a really difficult concept. Now you have the opportunity to give back – to be that person for someone else. I encourage each of you to do that.
Faculty, Convocation is a time to also recognize the important work you do on our campus. We would not be here without you, and the last year has not been easy for you, either. You had to adapt to a new style of teaching and a whole lot of new technology – from Zoom classes to virtual conferences – and you had to do it fast. With just a few weeks left during the Spring 2020 semester, you had to quickly adjust your classes to a virtual format to keep everyone safe, and you did it while supporting our students during a time when they really needed you. We applaud you and appreciate you for finding new and creative ways of engaging our students in that environment.
And staff, you contribute to this campus in so many ways. We recognize that we could not make it without you. You have shown great loyalty during these challenging times and you have continued to support our students and faculty in so many ways. We all rely on you for so much and we appreciate everything you do to make Cameron the great place it is.
Convocation may look different this year, but it holds the same significance as our usual gathering in the Fine Arts Courtyard or the Aggie Gym. Our students are the heart of our university and we take great pride in acknowledging and celebrating their academic achievements. We have incredible faculty and staff who support and mentor our students to help them reach their goals. Watching students grow is the main reason most of us go into education, myself included. Together, we hold Convocation to celebrate the wonderful Cameron community who pulled together during a really difficult time to ensure we continued to meet our mission.
Thank you for watching the Convocation video and thanks to all of you for making Cameron University a wonderful place.
