Wayne State College's annual Convocation event welcomed new students to campus Friday, Aug. 21.
Wayne State College welcomed Grand Island’s Dr. Sydney Grint, a 2019 graduate of the College, back to campus to deliver keynote remarks for Wayne State’s convocation ceremony held for new students Aug. 21. Convocation brought together students, faculty, staff, parents, and the Wildcat Marching Band for the official kickoff of the new academic year.
Dr. Grint earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Life Sciences/Biology through the Rural Health Opportunities Program (RHOP). She went on to earn her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in 2023, after which she returned to her hometown of Grand Island to found and operate Radiant Modern Dentistry.
Dr. Grint told students that there are three things she wishes she could tell the 18-year-old version of herself:
- Dive in: Join the club, she said, try something you’re terrible at, and take advantage of the opportunities that will come your way at WSC, even if they sound uncomfortable, inconvenient, or even ridiculous.
- If it’s hard, it’s probably worth doing: We sometimes mistake difficulty for a sign that we are on the wrong path, she said. But hard doesn’t always mean wrong. Sometimes hard means you’re growing. Sometimes hard means you’re learning. And sometimes hard means you’re doing something that is actually going to change your life.
- Enjoy every minute: Right now, four years seems like a really long time, she said. You are going to blink and you’ll be walking across that stage at graduation wondering how it happened so fast. So enjoy it. Don’t wish the time away. Be where you are.
Dr. Grint’s final remark to the new students: Make some mistakes, meet some incredible people, take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way, work hard, and most importantly – have fun!
Convocation also featured remarks from Wayne State President Marysz Rames, Student Senate President Simeon Weers of Neola, Iowa, and Dr. Jason Pierce, vice president for academic affairs, who served as emcee and delivered the Academic Charge for the year.
President Rames shared statistics about the incoming new students:
- More than 40% are first generation college students
- 16% are from out of state (including Iowa, Minnesota, California, Colorado, and Illinois)
- 84% are from Nebraska
- More than 100 new athletes joined the College to compete for the Wildcats
- More than 40 of our new students joined the Pride of Wayne State College Marching Band, the second-largest marching band in the state of Nebraska.
Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Jason Pierce delivered the Academic Charge to the new students. Dr. Pierce leaned on his time as a former English professor to draw students’ attention to the dual meanings behind the word “inspire” as the first of the three pillars of Wayne State’s mission: to inspire, to strengthen, and to serve. He began by taking the students through a mindful breathing exercise, noting that the original Greek via Latin definition is to “breathe in.”
Moving to the second meaning of “inspire,” Pierce called on students to recognize there is something greater than themselves that motivates and validates actions. Be mindful of your inspiration, he said, keep your eyes on the prize, and never lose sight of why you are here and what you plan to do with your education.
Convocation was just one of several events designed to welcome and embrace new students at Wayne State College during the first week of classes.