Indiana University Northwest (IU Northwest) welcomed new students to campus with the RedHawk Induction Ceremony on Monday, the official first day for many students. This ceremony is normally when students meet several faculty members and receive a warm welcome with a few words of wisdom for the upcoming school year.
Presiding Chancellor Ken Iwama began the ceremony by taking a selfie with the crowd behind him to mark the beginning of the school year. He welcomed the students and encouraged them that they will walk across the stage for graduation in just a few short years.
“You are opening yourself to new experiences in and out of the classroom,” Iwama said. “You will be transformed.”
Dr. Jonathyne Briggs then kicked off the induction ceremony by connecting a more diverse group of students to the college.
“We have this really elaborate graduation ceremony but nothing really to welcome them,” Briggs said. “I worked with a team, and we developed this event.”
Iwama advised the students that their college years will be a journey of self-discovery, and he wished them the best along the way.
“College can be a deeply personal journey but one that at IU Northwest you do not have to take alone,” Iwama said. “It will be challenging, but you have come to a community that prioritizes knowing you and supporting you.”
Iwama introduced several administrators who will also be there to support students throughout the school year: Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Vicki Roman-Lagunas, College of Health and Human Services Interim Dean Crystal Shannon, College of Arts and Sciences Dean Mark Hoyert, School of Arts Chancellor’s Professor and Dean David Klamen, School of Business and Economics Dean Cynthia Roberts, Department of Psychology Assistant Professor Dr. Maureen Rutherford, and School of Education Interim Dean Mark Sperling.
“We work for you, and we are here for you,” Iwama said. “This is your team when you hit those roadblocks.”
Iwama then thanked the faculty and staff in the audience.
Rutherford congratulated the students on being inducted as RedHawks. As a RedHawk Alumni herself and a first-generation college student, she held a job while also going to college to earn her undergraduate degree.
“I found that IU Northwest had the programs, support, and excellent faculty that I was looking for in an institution,” Rutherford said.
She gave the students several tips to help them begin their college careers. The advice included building a community of peers, making a space dedicated to learning, and getting to know the faculty that can inspire them.
“You are here to gain knowledge not just from the faculty, but each of you has unique experiences and knowledge that is valuable. You will contribute to your learning and the learning of others,” Rutherford said. “This is your community, and you are a critical component of it.”
Rutherford encouraged students to stand out from the crowd and try new things that will allow them to become a better person by the end of their college career.
“We care for each of you as an individual and not just as another face in the classroom,” Rutherford said. “We are here to invest our time, resources, and lives to help you along in your journey to be the best person you can be.”
As part of the ceremony, students pinned themselves with an IU Northwest pin. They were then cheered by the faculty as they headed to a welcoming reception.
The induction ceremony started in 2017, but last year was held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, freshmen and sophomores were invited to attend.
Since the ceremony's start four years ago, attendance has increased by about 100 students annually. Briggs said he also monitors the students as they are graduating.
“We do a really good job of keeping students here,” Briggs said. “I think this is doing something for them.”
Briggs said the ceremony is short, and the students appear to appreciate it. He said the event is not possible without the team of individuals who help him.
“We try to be very approachable, and we try to connect with them,” Briggs said. “I think the students really like the fact that the faculty participates in it too. They seem to be really engaged with it.”
Along with the induction ceremony, students can participate in other traditional college events such as movies on the lawn.
To learn more about Indiana University Northwest, please visit https://www.iun.edu/.
