President’s Column: Vikings celebrate Fall 2024 semester
Greetings from VCSU!
The beginning of each academic year is filled with excitement and anticipation of the new semester, and these past two weeks have exemplified this excitement across our campus.
Our planning efforts and anticipation for fall semester have come to fruition – we are finally beginning our new academic year. For most educators and campuses, the return of students combined with the resumption of classes, athletic activities and campus events, is one of the most anticipated and celebrated moments of the year.
During the week of August 19-23, we welcomed new faculty and staff and held our annual in-service activities for returning employees. It provided an opportunity to share some of the positive developments on campus. Exciting progress was made to our physical campus in several areas this summer, including the start of a major renovation to McCarthy Hall which will house our School for Education. We also made interior changes at the student center and in residence halls, along with updates at the football stadium and inside the W.E. Osmon Fieldhouse main arena. I encourage you to take some time to stop by campus this fall and see some of these updates.
Welcome week was also an important time to reconnect with friends and colleagues and make plans for the coming year. We met collectively and in departments to discuss our plans for continued growth in excellence and programming. VCSU’s vision: “As an innovative university, we deliver distinctive, learner-centered experiences” is at the center of all conversations we have regarding student success and continuous improvement.
At the end of the week, new freshmen began moving into residence halls and upper classmen started returning to VCSU. There was a visible flurry of activity on campus and in the community. I’ve heard many positive comments from several returning students regarding the campus improvements that have taken place during this summer.
Excitement and anticipation filled the air as new students began arriving, carting belongings and getting settled in their residence hall . Parents, perhaps feeling a bit unsettled in dropping off their sons and daughters as they start a new chapter here at VCSU, experienced a whole range of emotions.
Parents are placing trust in their students as they transition to adulthood. They’re also placing their trust in VCSU to provide not only an education but an experience, and to protect and keep their young adults – our students – safe and well as they learn and grow. Our work is always vital and important, but you can imagine the responsibility we feel.
Orienting new faculty, staff and students to Valley City is an important part of the onboarding process. New students participated in a structured and fun “Viking Voyage” program designed to introduce them to our campus, community, and the plethora of resources available to help them be successful.
Many of these folks are new to our state and community. We all appreciate the warm and hospitable welcome provided by businesses and residents and look forward to continuing development of partnerships as we navigate through this exciting academic year!
Additionally, we are looking forward to celebrating the outstanding town – gown relationship VCSU and Valley City enjoy with the “Summer Vikes on Central” event scheduled for September 12. This is a tremendous event that brings businesses, vendors, community members, and our VCSU faculty, staff, and students together to celebrate the beginning of the school year and help introduce our new students to the community. We hope you will join the festivities as the student body is led across the historic walk bridge – led by the dynamic VCSU marching band – into the business district.
If you see or meet one of our new Viking family members crossing the footbridge to downtown, I hope you will consider greeting them, finding out a bit about their background, and welcoming them to the community!
Go Vikings!