'Engage and confront challenging ideas,' Crow tells ASU's newest freshmen at rally
Members of Arizona State University's 11,500-strong freshman class gathered together for the first time Tuesday for the traditional Sun Devil Welcome rally.
Busloads of freshmen poured in from the Polytechnic, Downtown Phoenix and West campuses to Wells Fargo Arena on the Tempe campus, with everyone clad in gold T-shirts to learn how to properly flash a pitchfork and sing the fight song.
The screaming crowd watched hula dancers from the Hawai’i and Pacific Islander Club and performers from the ASU Hip Hop Coalition, saw a video on the tradition of whitewashing the “A” on A Mountain and watched Sparky make a dramatic entrance in the darkened arena.
Video by Laura Sposato/ASU
Brittany Benedict, the Undergraduate Student Government president for the Tempe campus, exhorted the students to get involved in the more than 1,100 clubs and groups at ASU.
“If you have ideas or suggestions, you have the power to have your voice heard,” she said.
“The opportunities at ASU are endless. No dream is too big and no goal is unattainable. Step outside your comfort zone. Start a new organization. Study abroad.”
President Michael Crow told the students they might face struggles this year, missing their families, doubting their abilities and thinking that ASU is not the place for them.
“We are here to help you through all that. Everyone that’s sitting in this room is qualified to attend a research university, and we have already predicted that you have the capability to graduate from this university,” he said.
“Everything that we are, everything that we do, all of our faculty and staff, the counselors, health services, athletic department, everything, is here for you.”
He asked them to embrace the challenges they’ll inevitably face.
“Move out of your comfort zone. Don’t try to get all A’s by taking courses you know you can get an A in. Don’t not work with someone you’re not comfortable working with. Engage and confront challenging ideas,” he said.
“Do not just walk by something you don’t agree with. Do not just walk by something that can be enhanced by you.”
After the rally, the energized freshmen poured out of the arena, ready to begin college.
“I really liked it,” said Nikki Taylor, a psychology major. “I liked hearing about all of the groups and seeing what everyone was doing. I’m interested in the ukulele club.”
Top photo: Biology freshman Lauren Dillon (center) cheers for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences during roll call at Sun Devil Welcome on Tuesday afternoon at Wells Fargo Arena on Tempe campus. Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
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