President Roger Hull invited Union's newest students to join the College's tradition of “following the courage of their convictions” during his address at the opening convocation on September 7.
“Members of the class have a wide range of interests, and if they are like the students already here, they will add lively and new perspectives in many, many ways,” the president said.
Hull began with examples of courage from Union's history — the founding of the College by frontier settlers; Eliphalet Nott's introduction of modern languages, the sciences, and a planned campus; William Seward, Class of 1820, the man who bought Alaska; and U.S. President Chester Arthur, Class of 1848, who founded the Civil Service Commission.
Citing more recent alumni, he noted Gordon Gould '41 and his long battle against large corporations to secure his claim as the inventor of the laser; Norton Reamer '58, who turned his dream into United Asset Management with portfolios of more than $200 billion; and Andrea Barrett '74, a biology student who became a writer, winning the National Book Award in 1996 for Ship Fever.
He also cited Frank Federici '98, who spoke out against hazing and earned the Bailey Cup; Mikhail Iossel, writer in residence, who supported himself as an engineer and night watchman before emigrating from Russia; and Prof. Steven Sargent, who left a career in engineering to teach history.
The College also has followed the courage of its convictions, the president said, noting its investment in the College Park neighborhood and its commitment to undergraduate research and community service.
Bonney MacDonald, associate professor of English, received the Stillman Prize for Excellence in Teaching. One student said of her, “I hated Emerson when I had to read him in high school, but I truly enjoyed him in her class.” Another wrote, “Her enthusiasm kept me awake at 8:40 classes in winter term.”
Julia Naftulin '02 received the Phi Beta Kappa Prize for outstanding achievement in general education, and Maureen Farrell '02 received honorable mention.
In a reception before the convocation, the College recognized 629 students who made the Dean's List last year. Their names appear on a plaque in the Reamer Campus Center.