Convocation officially signals the start of the academic year. It is a formal ceremony welcoming all students into the community while placing emphasis on a new class of students as well as the accomplishments of seniors. For Shorter College, this event symbolizes passing the responsibility for the freshmen from the Office of Admissions to the entire campus community.
Two main goals of Convocation are to recognize this passing by promoting a community of learners with students realizing their identity as a class and with all students reminded they are an important part of the community. Faculty and staff display their involvement and commitment to all student learners. The formal ceremony concludes with faculty and staff welcoming, in two rows with applause, the incoming class through the gate, “Enter to Learn.” It is at commencement ceremonies where those graduating from this class leave our community of learners through the parallel gate, “Go Forth to Serve.”
***Come get t-shirts and door prizes at the DAY of CONVOCATION & CELEBRATION!***
You won’t want to miss all that is planned just for YOU! Learn about some of Shorter’s traditions! Enjoy the college-wide picnic at the Dining Hall and Courtyard Fair at Cooper. Come beat your favorite professor at a dance competition or soak him/her in the Power Shower!
Shorter College welcomes Mr. Jonathan Merritt, Faith and culture writer and National Spokesperson for the Southern Baptist Environment and Climate Initiative.
Mr. Merritt is also the Director of College and Singles Ministry at Cross Pointe Church and Sr. Editor of PastorsEdge.com. He holds a B.S. from Liberty University and will graduate with an M.Div from Southeastern Seminary in 2008.
TIMELINE FOR THE DAY
NOTE!!! Seniors, don’t forget your cap and gown. Freshmen, wear your convocation t-shirts.
9:00 AM
Students meet with their major departments (locations forthcoming)
10:00 AM
Seniors, dressed in regalia, meet upstairs in Winthrop-King
(No later)
Freshmen, wearing convocation t-shirts, meet at FSU and escorted at 10AM to "graduation" doors at W-K
10:15 AM
Sophomores seated on left side bleachers facing stage
(No later)
Juniors seated on right side bleachers facing stage
10:20 AM
Academic Processional begins with Faculty & Staff
10:23 AM
Seniors March in two-by-two, splitting with half on right side, half on left
10:28 AM
Freshmen March in two-by-two, splitting with half on right, half on left
10:30 AM
Convocation Ceremony Begins
11:34 AM
Academic Recessional
ALL except freshmen class proceed to gate, "Enter to Learn,"
stand on both sides as freshman walk through us.
Afterwards, proceed to lunch, activities, pictures, and pick up t-shirt.
11:30-1:00 PM
Lunch in Dining Hall
11:30-2:00 PM
T-Shirts Distributed in Cooper Courtyard, Tickets for Door Prizes
11:30-3:30 PM
Outside Activities, Dance Revolution, Power Shower, Door Prizes, and more in Cooper Courtyard
Yearbook pictures to be taken in Austin Moses Room.
1:00-2:00 PM
Convocation Speaker: Jonathan Merritt available in Cooper Courtyard by Library. If rain, inside library.
8-11 PM
Foam Party
11 PM
Midnight Breakfast: Faculty and Staff Serve Students in Dining Hall
We’re gonna fight, fight, fight for Shorter,
We’re gonna fight for blue and white!
We give our loyalty to Shorter on the Hill;
we’re gonna keep her honor bright!
And when our mighty Hawks are soaring, you can bet they’ll never yield,
We’re gonna cheer our team on to the victory on the court or on the field!
We’re flying high for dear old Shorter,
around since eighteen-sev’nty-three!
We are the soaring Hawks in ev’erything we do,
in ev’ry sport, club, and degree!
And we are proud to be at Shorter, as we cheer for White and Blue,
And this will be our home, wherever we may roam:
to the Hill we will be true!
PHOTO GALLERY
2008 CONVOCATION & CELEBRATION
SHORTER COLLEGE • 315 Shorter Avenue • Rome, Georgia 30165 • Phone: 800-868-6980 •www.shorter.edu For website problems or questions, please email dthompson@shorter.edu
AUGUST 22, 2008