SOU Welcomes New Students During Convocation Ceremony

October 1, 2014
(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University will formally welcome the 2014 entering class of students during a convocation ceremony Friday, Oct. 3, at Raider Stadium.
The ceremony, which will take place at 3:30 p.m., marks the official recognition that all of the students entering SOU this fall have met the criteria for admission and matriculation into the university. Additionally, it provides an opportunity for SOU faculty and staff to welcome and greet new students.
“The faculty and staff are very excited to welcome the incoming 2014 class, which includes students from every corner of our region,” said Dr. Susan Walsh, SOU’s Provost. “We are especially looking forward to hearing from Dr. Edwin Battistella, who will speak on behalf of the faculty to invite our new students to join the SOU community.”
Dr. Battistella has been a professor at SOU since 2000. He is the author of five books, including his most recent work, “Sorry About That: The Language of Public Apology,” which was published by Oxford University Press and released earlier this year.
Students will also hear from Dr. Roy Saigo, who took over as President of SOU on July 1. “As a new president and new member of this community myself, it brings me great pleasure to welcome a new group of students to Southern Oregon University,” he said. “This is a very strong and diverse group of students and we know they will make positive contributions to the University and the community. We are very excited to have them here.”
Following Convocation, students, faculty, and staff will make their way to Raider Village, where a “Rock the Block” party will take place, marking the culmination of the first week of fall term.