Class of 2018 welcomed at New Student Convocation
The anchor event of Welcome Week, the convocation was an occasion for the Class of 2018 to bond and reflect on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
As part of the convocation ceremony, members of the class took the Coastal Carolina University Honor Pledge, promising to take responsibility for their personal behavior and opposing instances of academic dishonesty as defined in the CCU Code of Student Conduct.
CCU President David DeCenzo welcomed the class and reported on its demographics: 46 percent are from South Carolina and 54 percent hail from other states and countries; nearly half of the class is majoring in the sciences; the average high school grade point average of students in the entering class was 3.4; and the students have performed "countless hours" of community service.
The winners of the Big Read essay contest were announced and recognized. The first place winner was Emily Graham, an English and communication major from Hemingway, who received a $150 gift certificate for the Chanticleer Store. The second place winner was Devon Fitzpatrick, an undeclared major from Conway who received a $75 gift certificate, and third place went to Lisa Saguto, a marketing major from Pawleys Island, who won a $25 gift certificate.
The convocation address was delivered by Sommersill Tarabek, an English and communication senior, who advised the freshman class to: "work first and play afterwards; be important to people who are important to you, including yourself; and embrace new challenges and accept occasional failures."