179th Matriculation Convocation

At the start of a new academic year, Lawrence University's faculty, students, and staff all gathered at Memorial Chapel for the 179th Matriculation Convocation, an event that welcomes everyone back to campus and sets the tone for the academic year ahead.

"Matriculation convocation is always one of my favorite moments of the year - a time when we gather together not just as individuals but as one community, united by purpose and tradition, and ready to embark on a new academic journey," President Laurie A. Carter said from the stage of Memorial Chapel.

This year, Lawrence welcomed 307 first-year students and 48 transfer students. The top enrollment states for the 2025-26 academic year are Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, California, and Colorado. Leading majors include Business & Entrepreneurship, Pre-medicine, Music Performance, Biology, Psychology, and Multi-interested.

First-year students elicited a resounding round of applause for their Welcome Week musical performance titled Take What You Needby Reena Esmail. The song encouraged the Lawrence community to take heart and hope as they embark on a new academic year.

The Lawrence community formally welcomed Dr. Jenkins to his role as dean of the Music Conservatory. He will oversee all aspects of Lawrence's music degree programs and contribute significantly to the university's academic mission. Reporting directly to the provost, Lawrence's chief academic officer, he will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the institution.

Dr. Chris Jenkins, dean of the Music Conservatory.

"This year is especially exciting because one of those new to Lawrence is Dr. Christopher Jenkins, our new dean of the Conservatory," said Dominica Chang, Margaret Banta Humleker Professor of French Cultural Studies, associate professor of French, and chair of the Public Events Committee. "Dean Jenkins, welcome. We wish you every success, and we're so excited to witness your vision unfold."

President Carter's address was full of reflections and hope, but it centered on Lawrence's values of belonging, integrity, honesty, and sustainability.

"We start by listening. Real listening - the kind of listening that suspends quick judgment and seeks to understand the story behind the sentence, and the soul behind the story, said President Carter. "We create practices and processes that invite participation. We make our norms explicit: how we disagree, how we repair harm, how we show up for one another and celebrate each other's contributions. And, when someone is left out, we refuse to normalize their absence. We ask why and we act."

She honored the memory of Garth Bond, a respected member of the English department for 20 years. Garth passed away over the summer after a long, hard-fought battle with leukemia.

"Garth dedicated his career to growing the minds and hearts of our students using literature and the power of language. He also created close, meaningful relationships with many colleagues across campus and others in the community," said President Carter.

Bond was known for treating people with great humanity; the Lawrence community will come together on Saturday, October 4, to celebrate his life, legacy, and impact.

President Carter also recalled the tragedy of September 11, 2001, and the attempt to divide a united nation through the attack, which took the lives of 2,977. At the time of the attack, President Carter was working at Juilliard in New York City, only five miles away from where the World Trade Center fell.

"Late afternoon, we got word that a few trains were leaving New York City for New Jersey. I left my office and began the 30-block walk to the train station, hoping to be on one of them. It was still daylight, but the sky was darkened by the ash and smoke from the towers. There was no vehicular traffic, so the only people I saw were those like me walking dazed through the streets," she said. "I was overwhelmed by the events of the day, but as I looked around, I noticed that in almost every store window was an American flag. That attack on our country robbed us of many lives, but it didn't rob us of the hope that we had for a united America."

President Carter has a similar hope for today's students as they begin a new academic year in a world with deep divides, political polarization, and global challenges.

"That polarization is corrosive to our ability to work together, to trust one another, and to build a shared future," she said. "We see families weighed down by economic uncertainty, struggling with questions about opportunity, safety, and financial stability. We see communities torn apart by senseless violence and vitriol. And climate change, global conflict, and unprecedented shifts in federal policy test our resilience and force us to think about the world not just as it is today, but as it must be tomorrow."

President Carter acknowledged the headwinds facing higher education, including the public's skepticism around the value of a higher education, not only in terms of today's cost but also the long-term benefits.

"This is the moment when the liberal arts matter most. In a radically changing and unpredictable world. The ability to think critically, communicate clearly, collaborate effectively, and adapt creatively is more essential than ever," Carter said. "These are precisely the hallmarks of a Lawrence education."

President Carter's vision for successful outcomes centered on living out Lawrence's values of belonging, integrity, honesty, and sustainability, and allowing them to be the foundation for students' decision-making today and in the future.

"These values are not just words on our website. They are commitments that shape how we learn, how we live together, and how we prepare to lead in the world," said President Carter.