Academic Year Begins With Focus on ʳɫCommunity of Trustʳɫ
August 22, 2024
- Author
- Mary Elizabeth DeAngelis
Updated Aug. 29, 2024, 9:44 a.m. ET
Happy New Year!
The ʳɫ community officially reunited and welcomed its newest students Monday for the first day of class.
Returning students hugged, caught up on summer happenings and headed to classrooms, laboratories and the campus bookstore. President Doug Hicks hosted an all-campus coffee and doughnut drop-by at the collegeʳɫs Sculpture Garden, which sweetened ʳɫ and caffeinated ʳɫ the first day.
A Community of Trust
Sunday night of orientation week lent a serious note as new students pledged to uphold the collegeʳɫs Honor Code. This yearʳɫs theme is ʳɫBuilding a Community of Trust.ʳɫ
Students filed into the Duke Family Performance Hall to sign the honor pledge, which is one of the collegeʳɫs foundational values.
The pledge reads:
ʳɫI hereby commit myself to following the ʳɫ Honor Code. I will not lie about college business, cheat or steal while I am a student here, nor will I tolerate these actions on the part of others.ʳɫ
Hicks wrote a letter to students before they arrived on campus.
ʳɫYour signature and those of your classmates are displayed in the main hall of Chambers as a reminder of the shared commitment to personal and intellectual honesty,ʳɫ he said. ʳɫYour visible signature reflects your ongoing commitment to being truthful in your words, your scholarship and how you treat every person.ʳɫ
He stressed the importance of trust.
ʳɫAt its best, the Honor Code establishes a way of life on this campus. Your professors and fellow students and staff members trust you and believe in your honesty and good intentions, even when we disagree. We enter into our shared pursuit of truth and understanding on equal footing. We uphold, at the same time, a commitment to freedom of expression, mutual respect, and the values of a diverse, just and inclusive community.ʳɫ
Cheering for Charlotte
The class of 2028 headed to Charlotte on Saturday night to take in some soccer.
Clad in their ʳɫ black t-shirts, students filled a section of Bank of America Stadium, where they cheered on The Charlotte FC, the cityʳɫs Major League Soccer team. Itʳɫs a popular ticket to have, and students enjoyed their foray into the city.
Davidsonʳɫs proximity to Charlotte has resulted in numerous partnerships between the college and businesses, non-profits and schools. Thereʳɫs a good chance that a significant number of the newcomers will end up with careers in Charlotte, one of the nationʳɫs fastest growing cities, and its second largest financial center.
New Students and Families Enjoy Food and Fun Before Farewells
ʳɫ prides itself on gatherings that involve delicious treats (look for Cake Race coverage next week); and new students and their families experienced that Thursday.
Another beautiful North Carolina day served as the backdrop for a picnic lunch on the Chambers lawn.
Students and families socialized with other newcomers and lifelong friendships began.
Later, President Doug Hicks hosted everyone in his back yard for a sweet farewell gatheringʳɫof the cookie and cupcake varietyʳɫbefore students settled in and families returned home.
New Students Receive an Olympic Welcome
Evy Leibfarth ʳɫ25 is the first Davidson student to win an Olympic medal.
Davidson always goes big welcoming new students, but this yearʳɫs efforts were truly Olympian.
As dance music blared, orientation team leaders formed the traditional human tunnel to cheer and high-five new students and their families as they headed into the Baker Sports Complex Wednesday night.
President Doug Hicks and college leaders spoke briefly about the Davidson experience, and reassured students and families that they belong in this close-knit community.
The crowd cheered when he introduced another member of the college community, Evy Leibfarth ʳɫ25, the first Davidson student to win an Olympic medal. She earned a bronze in the womenʳɫs canoe slalom single final. (During the last summer Olympics in Tokyo, she entered the history books as the youngest U.S. athlete ever in canoe slalom.)
Earlier in the week, Leibfarth surprised the faculty and staff during their Olympic-themed ʳɫOpening Ceremonyʳɫ for the new school year.
ʳɫʳɫ is really special because of yʳɫall,ʳɫ she said. ʳɫEveryone has a lot of love for the town and the college. Iʳɫm proud to go hereʳɫI love being here.ʳɫ
ʳɫ Handles Move-In With Care
The rites of late summer returned to ʳɫ on Wednesday as new students and their families descended on campus for move-in day.
Their families pulled up their cars, trucks and vans to find helpers greeting them with cheers, music and signs.
ʳɫHappy Move-In Day!ʳɫ one sparkly handwritten poster said, as another emphasized, ʳɫWeʳɫre so excited youʳɫre here.ʳɫ
College staffers, orientation team members and other returning students, including scholar athletes and their coaches, unloaded the vehicles and carried the stuff of modern residence hall life up flights of stairs and into rooms.
They toted lacrosse sticks, musical instruments and headboards; laundry baskets crammed with sheets and towels; and big plastic boxes filled with detergent, disinfectant wipes (moms insisted) ʳɫ and toiletries.
President Doug Hicks ʳɫ90 took an early shift, chatting with students and families as he carried their things to their new college home. Cheer team members became adept at gracefully balancing mini refrigerators through stairwells.
License plates represented a diverse American geography, from New York to Florida; Louisiana to Illinois; North Carolina to Ohio. Thatʳɫs in addition to students whose journeys included airplanes coming from the furthest points of the United States and around the world.
The Griffin family drove 11 ½ hours from Bethalto, Illinois, to bring Brice ʳɫ28 to Davidson, where heʳɫs a member of the wrestling team. Jill Griffin, his mom, marveled at the number of volunteers making the move-in easy and them feel welcome.
ʳɫThis has been a great experience. Itʳɫs such a beautiful campus and everyone has been so kind,ʳɫ she said. ʳɫI love Davidson. Iʳɫm so excited for him ʳɫ but sad for me ʳɫ heʳɫs our first and Iʳɫm going to miss him.ʳɫ
Move-in Memories
A crisp, sunny morning offered a rare respite from the more typical heat and humidity of a North Carolina summer. Students and staff volunteers recalled much more trying weather in years past, and shared memories of their own move-in days.
Movers included several menʳɫs basketball coaches and Athletics Director Chris Clunie ʳɫ06, who are all Davidson alumni.
ʳɫIt was just my parents and me making multiple trips up and down the stairs of Richardson,ʳɫ said Matt Williams ʳɫ16, a former player and now an assistant coach. ʳɫThis is so much better.ʳɫ
Jack Gibbs ʳɫ17, another player-turned-assistant coach, remembered his parents dropping him off, and his mom crying.
ʳɫThat was hard,ʳɫ Gibbs said, ʳɫBut it was so exciting to be here getting ready to start my college career.ʳɫ
And Will Reigel ʳɫ12, a third former player-turned-coach, had assistance from a host of upper-class members who became his teammates, including NBA legend Stephen Curry ʳɫ10.
It was in 2008, the semester after Curry led the menʳɫs basketball team to the Elite Eight and began his journey into superstardom, Reigel said, ʳɫbut there he was, helping with the move-in.ʳɫ
Clunie, who also played basketball at Davidson, kept a rapid unloading, lifting and carrying pace on Wednesday and recalled a much different experience during his move-in day.
ʳɫIt wasnʳɫt nearly as organized,ʳɫ he said. ʳɫItʳɫs a machine now.ʳɫ
Helping to make it that way was Lyric Bailey ʳɫ26, a cheer team member who greeted the newcomers enthusiastically. Itʳɫs her second time as a move-in helper.
ʳɫIt feels like summer camp, to cheer for people and welcome them as they get here,ʳɫ she said. ʳɫI want to make it a positive experience for them. I love being able to do that.ʳɫ
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