SMITHFIELD, RI—With 870 first-year students seated before her, Michelle Cloutier, Vice President for Enrollment Management, addressed the 160th entering class at Convocation on September 4th. She said this about our newest Bulldogs: Welcome to the opening ceremony for the 160th entering class at Bryant University, and an especially warm welcome to the talented group of young men and women who make up the Class of 2023. This gathering marks the official beginning of your college career and serves to formally welcome you into the Bryant community. It is my privilege today to present the Class of 2023 to President Machtley, Provost Sulmasy, the Bryant faculty and staff and the Bryant community at large. Before I share with you some of the attributes and characteristics that define your class and make it special, I’d like to share some information as published in this year’s Marist College Mindset List as a frame of reference. Most of you were born in the year 2001. Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone and Shrek topped the box office charts. The Mars Odyssey has always been checking out the water supply for their future visits to Mars. Snapchat has become your social media app of choice, thus relieving you of the dilemma of whether or not to friend mom. Most of you will rent not buy your textbooks. Monica and Chandler have always been married on Friends. Teams have always engaged in an Amazing Race around the world. Bryant’s Class of 2023 was selected from the largest and most academically talented applicant pool in our University’s 156-year history. I have had the pleasure of reviewing each of your applications, so I know firsthand what an extremely impressive and talented group you are. My colleagues on the admission team and I selected you from nearly 7,700 applicants and you earned your admission through impressive academics, commitment to cocurricular activities, leadership and strength of character. Some of you wanted to be close to home, while others were looking for a completely new experience. This class has students from 24 US States.
Some are graduates from high schools right here in New England; while others of you hail from Hawaii, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Georgia and Colorado. Your class includes citizens from five of the seven continents and from 25 different countries including Switzerland, Peru, South Africa, Albania, Hong Kong, and Bermuda. You represent a range of religious, ethnic and racial backgrounds and speak more than 28 different languages and dialects. In fact, 11 of you are fluent in more than three languages. International students make up more than 7 percent of your class and over 15 percent of you identify with African American, Latino American or Asian American backgrounds. Over 208 of you have long standing relationships with Bryant. 78 of you follow brothers, sisters or cousins to Bryant and 47 of you have a parent who earned a Bryant degree. Another 54 of you were preceded by an aunt, uncle or grandparent, and 29 of you have multiple legacy connections. Another 17 know Bryant well because your parents work here and 191 of you are the first in your family to go to college. Two of you will always remember today’s Convocation because today you are celebrating your birthday. A sincere “Happy Birthday” wish to Ricardo Acevedo and Ethan Savoie. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3