fall 2013 / 17
FEATURES
As you see it
—First-year students took part in a fun contest to tap into their photographic genius and become
familiar with the campus. Orientation groups were sent out to find objects in the landscape and architecture of their
new home that spelled out B-S-C. The best version got a framed copy of their photographic finds. The winner of the
contest was Team Black, led by sophomore Sarah Dolmovich.
In my short time at Birmingham-
Southern, Move-in Day has already
become one of my favorite days of the
year.
Each fall, it brings me joy to watch
the newest crop of students start their
lives on the Hilltop. I love seeing their
nervousness and excitement—and the
same emotions reflected in their parents’
eyes. I love the hugs and energy our staff,
faculty, and students greet them with,
helping chase the jitters away. There is
so much packed into that first few hours:
meeting roommates, finding their way
around campus, learning about their
classmates at Convocation, and, finally,
saying goodbye to their families as they
turn to focus on their future at BSC.
The students know they’re in for the
adventure of their lives.
What they don’t know—what makes
me smile most—is how much their BSC
experience will change them. Sure, they
expect to learn and grow and end up
ready to face whatever challenges life
throws at them. They’ve already chosen
to come to a place that promises them a
real education rather than simple training
in a subject. Training is preparation
for the expected, while education is
preparation for the unexpected, and they
value that distinction.
What they may not realize is how much
they’ll learn, not just in their classrooms
and from their incredible professors, but
also on the playing fields, backstage at
the theatre or recital, at lunch in the Caf,
or in a late-night dorm-room heart-to-
heart. They’ll learn from their classmates’
diverse backgrounds; they’ll learn while
traveling abroad or working in the
inner-city during Exploration Term; and
they’ll learn from the professionals who
volunteer to be their mentors or give
them internships that will guide them on
their path.
That combination of experiences—
building on the true character I see in
all our students—is something that they
can’t get just anywhere. They don’t know
that yet. But by the time they graduate
four years from now, they will. And I
can’t wait.
President’s Reflections, by Gen. Charles C. Krulak
Gen. Krulak welcomes new students and parents personally
on Move-in Day.
