President Kyle Farmbry told a Convocation audience of more than 600 faculty, staff and students – including  members of the Class of 2027 – at Dana Auditorium Aug. 22 that no matter where they are from, they are now all Guilfordians. He also reminded them that fully embracing the experiential learning for which the College is renowned is only part of the Guilford experience.

“My advice to us all is to let curiosity be our guiding star, and let the pursuit of knowledge kindle the flames of creativity and innovation,” he said. “Let empathy be the undercurrent that unites us, and let equity and respect be the foundation upon which we build relationships that transcend differences. Let us strive for excellence not for its own sake, but because it is a testament to the dedication and integrity that characterize our very essence as Guilfordians.”

After a busy three days spent moving into residence halls, attending orientation programs and saying goodbye to loved ones, first year and transfer students had the opportunity to commemorate the next steps in their lives.

Convocation marks the symbolic launch of the 2023-24 academic year – one day before fall semester classes begin – and celebrates a group of incoming students who traveled from every corner of the globe to attend the College. Students from 22 states, Kenya, Palestine, The Philippines, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, France and Scotland make up the new class.

That diversity was on display in the audience and on stage, where Dana Hamdan ’11 (above), a native of Palestine, provided the alumni message. She extolled the importance of exploring the diverse communities within the College and taking time and care to revel in the discoveries and experiences that people from a wide array of backgrounds bring to campus.

Dana is the Associate Vice President for Administration in Campus Life at Brown University in Rhode Island. A Political Science major at the College, she told students she spent her first semester at Guilford hanging out with different clubs and communities.

“First, there was the international student group. Then, there was the football and the volleyball group,” she said. Then there was the artsy and hippie group, which somehow was connected to the rugby group. Looking back, these seem like curious choices for me, since I have never really played sports, nor was I artistic. But now I see what I was doing. I was exercising my power to choose my community, a power I was only vaguely becoming aware of. What better way to try out my newly found power than to explore communities that were completely alien to me.”

She described those early experiences and encounters with others as “magical.”

“For the first time I had a chance to choose a community, rather than have a community choose me,” she said. “This is powerful. Choosing your community – or your communities – is an important part of finding your identity. I wasn’t trying to figure out who I was by sitting by myself and thinking about it. I tried to discover my identity by exploring it in community with others – others who were on their own journey of discovery.”

Convocation also featured remarks by Student Body President Deon McFarland ’24, who urged his new classmates to take advantage all the opportunities their new home will offer over the next four years. Just as important, said Deon, is to give back.

“The reason I chose Guilford is because of the small class sizes and the people. This is why I am so involved on campus. I believe that if people pour into you that you should pour back into them. This is why I am so excited for the school year.”