Freshman Convocation, Oct. 7, is the culmination of the shared first year Readership WTAMU experience as students get to hear the readership author speak. Kendra Campbell, director of First Year Experience, believes that the common reader programs are valuable beyond the perspective of a shared experience. “This is a place of learning,” Campbell said. “[With the readership program] we are setting the expectation that reading is something you have to do here.”
Convocation also gives freshmen a preview of what graduation will be like for them. Associate Professor of Education, Amy Andersen, said that Convocation is meant to help students see into their academic futures.
“Convocation is intended as a ceremony targeting freshmen so they can begin to envision their own graduation in four years,” Andersen said.
Campbell noted that WTAMU has expectations for their students beyond attaining a diploma.
“What our hope here is that when students graduate they’re engaged citizens,” Campbell said.
Faculty will be at Convocation in full regalia to show their support for the freshman class.
“We want them to know that faculty and staff are here to ensure their success as a student to help them walk across the stage at their graduation in four years,” Andersen said.
Convocation is mandatory for freshmen, the event is open to all of WT and the surrounding community.
“We hope that all of the student body, the university community and the community at large will take advantage of the opportunity to hear the incredible speakers we bring in to speak to this group,” Andersen said.
Campbell noted that students are encouraged to dress up for the ceremony.
“It’s a formally ceremony, “ Campbell said. “We encourage students to dress for that. It’s appropriate for the setting.”
Formal dress is not a stated requirement at Freshman Convocation. Campbell said that no one will be barred entrance from the ceremony because of what they are wearing.
This year’s speaker is Somaly Mam, the author of the common reader The Road of Lost Innocence. Mam is flying in from Cambodia to speak at WT.
“Even on campus there are several upperclassmen looking forward to hearing her speak,” Campbell said. “[This] is a unique opportunity for our campus.”
This year WT partnered with Texas A&M International and they both selected The Road of Lost Innocence for their freshman readership programs.
“Somaly is going to their campus Friday,” Campbell said. Sharing a speaker between two campuses has added extra time constraints on additional opportunities to see Somaly Mam. Students are encouraged to go to Freshman Convocation if they want the opportunity to hear her speak.
Both Campbell and Andersen said that the planning process for Convocation is intensive.
“We typically have initial planning meetings beginning in February of the year for the convocation that fall,” Andersen said. “The most difficult part is ensuring that we pick a date that works best for our students and the speaker.”
Campbell said they have already started discussing the common reader for next year.
“We’ll have a reader selected before the end of the semester,” Campbell said. “You’ve got to have a book before a speaker and you have to have a speaker before you have a date.”
The winners of the Readership WT essay contest will be announced during Freshman Convocation. The winners will take a trip to Cambodia next semester. This is the fourth year that students have been able to travel internationally as a part of the Readership WT experience.
Convocation will be held Oct. 7 in the First United Bank Center. The FUB will open for seating at 4 p.m. and the event is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. There is no charge to WT students or the public.
*The interview with Amy Andersen was conducted via email.
