President Mark Schlissel and other university leaders welcomed freshmen and their families to the Michigan family at the New Student Convocation on Friday.
Schlissel told the Class of 2019 that for nearly two centuries, Michigan’s Diag has served as a crossroads for generations that aspire to make our society better.
They are joining a community, he said, that includes Branch Rickey, the Brooklyn Dodgers executive who broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier when he signed Jackie Robinson; iPod designer Tony Fadell; and Mayo Clinic co-founder William Mayo.
“You have come to Michigan to prepare to make a difference in the world,” Schlissel said, from the podium at Crisler Center. “As Michigan students, you are now the rising scholars who will carry our tradition into its third century.”
The president and his wife, Monica Schwebs, earlier joined Central Student Government President Cooper Charlton and scores of freshmen on a walk from his Central Campus home to Crisler for the convocation.
“I’m excited to meet the president,” said Alex Wilf, an LSA freshman from Connecticut. He had heard about the walk at his South Quad residence hall. “It’s cool to meet someone who has so much influence on the university.”
At Crisler, the president said students would learn from faculty with a passion for teaching, through myriad settings and activities — from the dorms and eateries to student clubs and activities, from playing fields to the Big House, and even while socializing.
“You will learn from each other, perhaps just as much as you learn from your professors. You will make lifelong friends at Michigan, many of whom share your likes and dislikes, who roll the way you roll,” he said.
Schlissel encouraged students to make friends with those who see the world differently and with whom they may disagree.
“There is no question that living and talking and laughing and arguing in a diverse community — diverse in nationality, race, religion, political affiliation, social background — kindles originality, innovation and creativity as your ideas are shaped by friction and debate,” he said.
Kedra Ishop, associate vice president for enrollment management, told the students, “I’m excited by the extraordinary talents that you bring, and excited to welcome you to Michigan.”
She said U-M set a new record for applications this year, with nearly more than 51,000 applying and more than 6,000 admitted as freshmen. About 42,000 of those applications were from out of state. The largest number of international applications again came from China, followed by India, Singapore, Korea and Canada.
“We learned through your applications and essays about your commitment to community, through volunteerism and service groups; and that you’ve won awards for your success in academics, athletics, leadership, music and creativity,” Ishop said.
She offered a snapshot of the Class of 2019:
• The average high school GPA for this year’s freshman class is 3.83.
• Almost 22 percent of the class achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA.
• 48 percent of the class had an ACT composite score between 31 and 36. Only 4 percent of students nationwide achieved that high level, and 33 percent more students than last year had a perfect score on the math portion of the SAT.
“You demonstrated your strength and determination in your essays. Where you reflected upon your ability to adapt, reflect and empathize with others different from yourselves as a number of you wrote about belonging to communities of blended backgrounds and heritage, of having friends that are different from yourself, or of wanting experiences different from what you have known,” Ishop said.
Below: Natalia Madrigal Martinez and Kunsang Namdol join fellow students in singing “The Victors.” (Photos by Daryl Marshke, Michigan Photography)
Provost Martha Pollack urged new students to get to know their professors, who welcome discussion. She said they want to be challenged in their thinking just as they are challenging students’ thinking.
“I can’t say this strongly enough. We become faculty members because we like to discuss ideas, and we like to help students develop their knowledge and understanding of the fields about which we’re passionate,” she said.
Exploring the university’s breadth of academic offerings — about 2,000 courses in a huge array of disciplines — is also important, she said. Pollack encouraged freshmen to learn about new areas of knowledge.
She urged students to let academic advisers help. “Their expertise will help you plan a course of study that allows you to explore new areas of inquiry, follow your intellectual passions, and — this will make your parents happy — meet your graduation requirements on time,” she said.
