After a week of casual introductions to campus life, the members of the Class of 2005 formally began their Penn careers at last night's Convocation on College Green.
During Convocation -- the only time that the entire class assembles other than graduation -- administrators, professors and fellow students gathered to welcome the newest members of the Penn community.
Following dinner, performances by several performing arts groups and opening remarks from Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum, bagpipes announced the beginning of the academic processional.
Faculty and administrators, starting at the base of Perelman Quadrangle and walking in front of Van Pelt Library, took the stage on the steps of College Hall as the Penn band played the traditional "Pomp and Circumstance."
Dean of Admissions Lee Stetson was the first to take the podium, calling the class "an exceptional group of individuals" who stood out among this year's 19,150 applicants.
And University President Judith Rodin referred to the Class of 2005 as potentially the most talented class ever brought to campus -- and definitely the brightest group of students admitted to Penn.
To close her speech, Rodin incorporated the popular movie Star Wars, saying the University is full of Ben Kenobis "waiting to engage you and be engaged by you."
"This is your time. This is your call. This is your flight. May the force of Penn be with you," she said.
But what many freshmen remembered of her speech after the ceremony was her humorous jab at rival Princeton University.
Rodin said that upon discovering something curious, "the ordinary student would just say `cool'" and that "other students would take notice, but wait for their professors to explain it to them -- that would be the Princeton student."
Throughout her speech, Rodin used the metaphor of a whirlwind to stress that students need to be aware of the adventures and possibilities in store for them at Penn.
She told students to pay attention to how and where these whirlwinds appear, heed them and observe them closely.
"Before you know it, you'll be creating whirlwinds of your own."
Students responded positively to Rodin's address.
"From her speech, it seemed like the president is genuinely concerned about us," Engineering freshman Chris Mullin said. "She called on the Class of 2005 to do our best in everything."
Unlike past speeches where Rodin highlighted the accomplishments of individual students within the class, last night she concentrated on "the whirlwinds" of past and current Penn students, including Rhodes scholar and 2001 College graduate Lipika Goyal.
As the sun began to set, Provost Robert Barchi also addressed the approximately 2,400 freshmen. He focused on the increasing need to strike a balance between the ethical and the practical, to understand "what is possible and what can be done and what is ethical and what should be done."
To help freshmen on this discovery, Barchi encouraged them to "be like Candide: question what we tell you, learn from experience, push the envelope" -- referencing this year's Penn Reading Project selection by Voltaire.
And Barchi told the class that their greatest teachers at Penn are their peers.
"Look around you at your most important teachers, for no one will help you learn more than your suitemates, your teammates and your classmates," Barchi said.
Convocation concluded with the presentation of the Class of 2005 flag by Senior Class President Josh Klein, closing remarks from Rodin and the singing of "The Red and Blue."
"It was a nice official introduction to four years at Penn," College freshman Michael Pollak said. "The ceremony made me feel welcome and part of a large and successful community."
For some, it was the first time they really felt like part of the Penn community.
"It was so touching," College freshman Zahra Assur said. "A lot of my friends got quite emotional. I got goosebumps when they played "Pomp and Circumstance."
