250 first-year students welcomed to campus during annual convocation ceremony
Cazenovia College officially installed its new president, Dr. Ronald Chesbrough, during the Aug. 19 convocation ceremony on the campus quad, which also celebrated the beginning of the 2016-17 academic year and welcomed 250 first-year students to the institution.
Chesbrough, who began his duties on July 1, was installed as the leader of the college by Richard Smith, chair of the college board of trustees. Chesbrough received both the president’s medallion — imprinted with the college seal and motto — and the president’s mace.
“This represents your leadership,” Smith said upon handing the mace to the president. “Carry it well.”
Chesbrough said he was honored to be installed on the same day as freshman convocation and urged first-year students to take advantage of their time at the college — “These next four years are yours,” he said. “This is your chance to take [the opportunity] and be distinctive and extraordinary.”
The convocation ceremony also included remarks from Professor Karen Steen, 2016 Distinguished Faculty Member, and Olivia Sokolic of Camillus, president of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society.
The convocation was the culmination of a day that started at 9 a.m. with the arrival of new students for moving in to the dorms. Large numbers of upper classmen in blue T-shirts, who served as Orientation Advisors, were on hand to help first years move in and get acclimated to the campus.
Friday evening, new students participated in the First Night candlelight ceremony and spent the weekend going through orientation. Upper classmen were set to move back to campus on Monday, Aug. 22, with the first day of classes scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 23.
