By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
Thursday night in Bowling Green heard loud roars from the east side and the west side of town. The roars from the west side were the tractors pulling weights across the track at the first night of the 56th Annual National Tractor Pulling Championships. The east side of town heard thousands of new Bowling Green State University students roar with excitement as BGSU President Rodney Rogers took the stage at the Class of 2027 Convocation.
“On behalf of our almost 200,000 alumni, nearly 20,000 current students and almost 2,400 faculty and staff, we welcome you to Bowling Green State University,” Rogers said. He shared the story of 1973 BGSU alumnus Dave Wottle’s comeback gold medal win in the 800-meter race at the 1972 Olympics.
Wottle had battled injuries and knee problems but was asked to represent the United States in the race, which was not his preferred distance. No one expected him to medal, but he ended up winning the race in a phenomenal come-from-behind position. Rogers said Wottle told his story during the university’s 2022 Homecoming, explaining that he didn’t have a last-minute burst. “I ran the race my way,” he said.
“He faced adversity, but he talked about the support he got from his teammates. It showed the power of grit, focus and determination. That’s what we are going to be asking of each of you,” Rogers told the class that is the largest BGSU class since the pandemic.
Aside from the roars of the evening, Rogers and five other speakers representing students, faculty, staff, and administrators shared similar messages of support and encouragement, each from a personal perspective.
Emily Gerome, president of the Undergraduate Student Government, explained that convocation is the beginning of the new freshmen’s academic careers. But she and fourth year finance student Jayden Donald assured them they are not alone at BGSU. “We are here to support you,” she said. “Ask for help, guidance and support. BGSU thrives when students are supported.”
Donald said he came to BGSU because he believed it was “where I could become the best version of me.” He arrived on campus in the midst of COVID-19. “No matter how detrimental that was to my social life, I never let that stop me from taking advantage of everything that college had to offer.”
Dr. Sherona Garrett-Ruffin, teaching professor of psychology, offered one concrete way to make the most of a college career: Take advantage of the classroom scene. “Throughout your time at BGSU, you’ll be given papers and projects. It can be tempting to just check the box to do the project, not really thinking about what to do except check the box. I encourage you instead to tryto connect the papers and projects to your own passions.”
A specific example from her psychology-physiology course involved a student who wanted to be an actor. She challenged the student to connect his interest in acting to the course. He did so by asking one fundamental question: What makes a good actor? “He wondered when an actor is really good, is there a change in their body, their physiology that matches the emotion that they are trying to display?”
She said that fundamental, exciting and relevant-to-his-passion question provided valuable insight that he was able to talk about in job interviews.
“I challenge you: don’t be afraid to make connections between your classrooms and your passions, and don’t be afraid to ask your faculty to help you to do that. We need you. We want your points of view and unique experiences manifested in the classroom space,” Garrett-Ruffin said.
Gabe Dunbar, assistant director of the Radbill Center for College and Life Design, dispelled the myth that there is only one way to succeed at college. “Sometimes we think about traditional or nontraditional college experiences, but there are so many ways to approach the college experience,” he said.
“We have students across all ages, diverse backgrounds, from all over the world, taking classes at Bowling Green or Firelands or online. Some live on campus and off campus. Some of you are independent for the first time in your life, and some of you have to balance classes with working full time and taking care of family,” Dunbar said.
“There is no one right way for college. It’s up to you to design the college experience that matches who you are,” he added.
He encouraged the students to be curious, take action “and remember, you don’t have to design alone. If you design your BGSU experience, staff, faculty and students are here to help you every step of the way.”
Dr. Joe Whitehead, BGSU provost and senior vice president for academic and student affairs, told students, “You are not just joining an institution, you are joining a community that values diversity, inclusion and the power of collective learning.”
The faculty, staff and administration are available to support students on their journey to fulfill dreams and aspirations, he stated. “You are not just here to receive an education; you are here to shape your future to your dream.”
He encouraged first-year students to join clubs and organizations that resonate with their passions, dive into service projects that impact communities and find balance in all you do.
Whitehead reminded them that the friendships they form at BGSU will build connections that last a lifetime.
Donald said: “You will face hardships here that will challenge you in ways you have never been challenged before. You may lose friends that you came to BGSU with, and some of you may fail a class, You may lose a loved one and be expected to wake up the next day and attend classes and do homework like your world hasn’t been completely shocked. But I encourage you all to persevere and to work toward your dream even in the midst of chaos. That will empower you to become the version of yourself that you wish to be tomorrow.”
