Description of the video:

Welcome Class of 2024 to Indiana University Northwest. My name is Chancellor Ken Iwama And like you, I am new to the IU Northwest community. I'm excited to begin a journey of discovery with you as we navigate our future together. We are arriving at a time that presents a unique opportunity to build a strong community together in a new way, as even this virtual ceremony shows. While we're not together in person, we are together and spirit. No matter where you are joining from today, let me be the first to say, "Welcome." You belong at IU Northwest, the region's university. Many of you are the first in your family to attend college while others of among you may have already received helpful advice and guidance from family members who came before you. Regardless of your background, your journey at IU Northwest is not one that you take alone. We are all on this journey with you, from fellow students to faculty and staff. We are all here to help you succeed. If I can leave you with one piece of advice today, please take advantage of all the resources available to you. Do not be afraid to ask for help or to extend a helping hand to others. Starting college can be both exhilarating and intimidating. Add in a pandemic, and it can almost seem overwhelming. Don't let it be - keep going because you didn't get this far just to come this far. Your commitment to IU Northwest is a commitment to your dreams. In turn, we will always be there with you and for you. But more than ever, it's important to remember that we are all in this together. Over the next several years, you will see me online and on campus. But most important, I will see you at your commencement ceremony, where I plan to celebrate your achievements and your future successes with the entire IU Northwest community. Thank you Class of 2024. H ello, my name is Ciera. Moulesong and today I'm going to tell you all how I not only managed to survive my freshman year, but I also thrived during it. There's so many different organizations and clubs for you to be able to join at IUN. And not only is it all student organized, for the most part, there's so many professors that just want to see you graduate and be able to thrive and succeed in life. That, that's their main purpose there to help you. We have such an elite staff at our school that I- there's not one professor that I've had so far that I wasn't able to know on a personal level to the point where I was a contestant in a speech forum and my professor told me to go ahead and message her, even if it was on Thanksgiving Day. If I had any questions or any concerns. But the main thing is to keep a positive mindset for yourself. Be sure to be in all of your classes, online or not. Because the more that you sit there and you are engaged in your schoolwork, you will succeed. It's not set up for you to fail, and so just really push through. Anything that you have any problems with, there's free counseling for students at IUN, so make sure to reach out. Everyone really wants you to just be able to succeed and be happy while you're in college, so have a great time. Hello and welcome new students. I congratulate you for moving forward with your education in these uncertain times and I thank you for making the choice to continue your journey here at Indiana University Northwest. I am here to offer you some advice as you become a new member of our campus community, As I too started college here at IUN during a time of uncertainty as 9/11 occurred only a few weeks into my first semester. There are a few things that you can do to get the most value and enrichment out of your college years. First, start building up a community of your peers. Although we may be physically distancing right now, your online and hybrid classes will likely be filled with opportunities to meet and interact with your peers. You are here to gain knowledge, not just from the faculty. Each of you has unique experiences and knowledge that is valuable and will contribute to the learning of others. This is your community and you are a critical component of it, so reach out and connect with your peers. One of my major challenges as an undergrad was time management. Having a designated time to learn made it much easier for me to prepare for class and study. So try to build your schedule around regular Learning Times. In addition, I know that many of you will be spending a lot of time in virtual learning spaces, at least for now. To minimize distractions, try to create a physical space where you can engage with your course material. Even if it's only a small corner of one room, a space dedicated to learning will help you focus. Lastly, some of my most rewarding experiences as a student came from the interactions I had with faculty. Feel free to attend virtual office hours and get to know your faculty. The relationships I had with my instructors, and now as a faculty member, the relationship I have with my students, are among the most meaningful in my life. We want you to succeed just as much as you do. And we have knowledge and advice that will help you now and in the future. IUN has given me the tools, the resources and the foundational knowledge that enabled me to come full circle and serve the community that has given me so much. I hope you can get the most of your experiences here as I did by forming a peer community, learning how to manage time, and getting quality experiences with your faculty. Welcome to IUN. As a normal part of the Red Hawk induction Ceremony, you will be invited to pin yourself to signify our commitment to each other in your success. Unfortunately, the circumstances of this pandemic did not allow us to do this together in person. As I am also a new member of this community, I am pinning myself and I encourage you to do the same when you have your pin. You can request it from www.iun.edu/induction if you have not already done so. When you self pin, please share it on social media with the hashtag RedHawkReady. And again, welcome to IU Northwest. [IU Alma Mater: Hail to Old IU} Come and join in song together; Shout with might and main; Our beloved Alma Mater, Sound her praise again. Gloriana Frangipana, E'er to her be true. She's the pride of Indiana, Hail to Old IU!