I’ll be joining Macaulay Honors College Class of 2015 tomorrow morning for the first of three days of orientation.
It will undoubtedly be a crowded, noisy, boisterous morning, and my welcome message is brief — actually, all I really want to say is, “have fun,” but then that doesn’t sound particularly decanal. So it will be something like this…..
Welcome to the first day of college, and welcome to Macaulay.
We have reimagined orientation for you; today is our first to be held at Governors Island. Why Governors Island? It’s beautiful, unusual, and kind of Switzerland, a neutral place, it belongs to no borough but belongs to all New Yorkers.
But mostly we are there because Governors Island is a special New York place in the process of defining itself. Kind of like Macaulay.
In fact, that theme of reimagining is one you will hear us talk about a lot. It’s not just talk though — we are always looking for fresh ideas to make sure that your next four years have the right balance of the timeless values of education and the timeliness of being educated in the year 2011.
And you may find yourself reimagining yourself along the way: with new interests, new opinions, maybe a new nickname or a new haircut.
Reimagining Macaulay isn’t only our job — it’s yours too. You are the ones who help us reimagine not only orientation, but so much more about the College. That’s why you are here — because you are a person of ideas and action.
Now I know that you are an ambitious, forward-looking group. And we’re going to help you get there, wherever “there” is for you. But while you’re thinking about next steps, about law school and accounting and med school and writing the great American novel, make sure you take advantage of THIS DAY too.
In other words, enjoy the journey, not only the destination.
The next three days are about the three Ts:
Teamwork, tools, and talent.
Day One, our trip to Governors Island and Outward Bound, is about teamwork and collaboration. Macaulay itself operates as a team of seven CUNY campuses, each with a director and advisors and staff, and then we have our West 67th team, all here to support your success.
You will have many ways to connect as part of a team, not only today, but at your home campus, in your major, in a club/lab/organization, studying abroad. But today is the first –and one of the best — opportunities you will have to meet students from other campuses. All are different facets of your identity as a Macaulay Honors College student. Explore all of it!
For the rest of your life, no matter what you do, what field or institution or company, you are going to be working in teams. Start now. Figure out what YOU are good at, it may be leading, it may learning what leadership is about, but figure out your place in the team.
Tuesday is about TOOLS. Yup, there is a beautiful new Apple laptop waiting for you, with your name on it. Whether you’re a serious computer user or just learning, you’ll be finding new and creative applications for your digital classroom.
Of course, the most important tool is your brain. So give it good food and above all, it needs exercise. So experiment! surprise yourself, take a class you never expected to take. Premed? Try a course on French Film. English major? Maybe a seminar on the global economy.
And the last T: Wednesday is about TALENT. Our last event will be an evening with the incredibly talented Jonathan Safran Foer, who will be the inspiration for our semester-long celebration of art and culture in New York City, otherwise known as Seminar One.
Your own talents are what led you here today. It’s our job to help you develop your abilities and skills and interests to the max. Your job is to learn what you love. Find something that motivates you, and gives you a sense of importance and delight. Don’t do it because everyone else is, or someone expects you to.
Do it because it is right for you and your talents. Because you love it. Don’t settle for anything less than that.
That’s it: Teamwork, tools, and talent.
It all starts today.
Special thanks to the staff at NYC Outward Bound, Tim Caron, Drew Adair, Autumn Payne, Olga Barskaya,and everyone at Macaulay, with a special shout out to our Macaulay students and alums who devoted summer time to working on a fun and meaningful orientation for you, Class of 2015.
Have fun today, have a great week!
PS I have drop-in office hours every week; check Macaulay Monday for the schedule. I get cranky and lonely when nobody comes to visit, so please do come!
I absolutely enjoyed being a Macaulay Outward Bound Orientation Leader!
My team, the Lavender Leopards, had such energy and drive to get as many points possible, but they always kept in mind that teamwork is what mattered most and that having fun and supporting each other is what makes the experience special!
Seriously wished my Freshmen orientation (2014) was on a beautiful day at Governors Island!
Today would have been complete if the Class of 2015 could hear you tell them everything you wrote here!
🙂