President Devorah Lieberman: “This university is grounded in a sense of inclusion”
President Devorah Lieberman opened the University of La Verne’s 126th academic year on Aug. 30 by calling on students to embrace the college experience, engage civically, and remain open to new and challenging ideas.
Lieberman’s Convocation remarks came against the backdrop of national political dialogue that is increasingly divisive. She urged students to rally around shared values of diversity, inclusivity, and civic engagement, and to take those values back out into their communities.
“Lately, we have been bombarded with voices that frame national and international conversations around differences, blame, right versus wrong, truth versus falsehood,” Lieberman said. “I am most proud that here at the University of La Verne, everyone has the opportunity, whether inside or outside of the classroom, to engage in civil discourse and to share our thoughts.”
Convocation marks the beginning of the academic year and includes the ringing of the spirit bell and a procession of students, faculty, and staff. This year, the University of La Verne welcomes more than 600 first-time freshmen from the United States and 15 countries. They join nearly 8,000 additional undergraduate and graduate students who are studying across the university’s 10 campuses.
The university’s spirit of inclusion and diversity could be seen across campus on Convocation Day, with international flags dotting walkways outside of the Sports Science & Athletics Pavilion, where the ceremony took place.
Associate Professor of Physics Dr. David Chappell, the recipient of the university’s Excellence in Teaching Award for 2017-18, echoed Lieberman’s call to embrace new ideas, urging students to deconstruct their assumptions and be open to different ways of thinking.
“Knowledge grows outward as you understand the world better, and it grows inward as you understand yourself better,” he said.
Elmeera Nosrati, president of the Associated Students of the University of La Verne, hopes students will begin taking on more responsibilities and supporting causes that are greater than themselves.
“Be a visionary,” she said. “Do something that hasn’t been done before and go beyond what is expected of you.”
In response to national dialogue about diversity, a number of programs have been scheduled throughout the fall semester to spur thought and discussion. Those include the One Book, One University reading of author Viet Thanh Nguyen’s “The Refugees” and the Living Peace Lecture by Dr. Rigoberta Menchú Tum.
Additional events are being planned. Details will be shared as soon as they are available.
