By Colin Dorwart, Guest Commentary
Welcome to the 2010-2011 academic year and welcome to the almost nine hundred new faces on campus. Hopefully by now you have figured out where the new Bauccio Commons is and who Twila is, hopefully by now you've learned your RA's name and what the word intervisitation means, and hopefully by now you've learned that our women's soccer games are must-see events (The next home game isn't until Sept. 10). Most importantly, I hope you have come to realize how great UP is and how much greater it can be if you become an active and involved member of this fine community.
I implore you new students, you fresh faces. Find your place here. To find out what makes this university so great for you. I've been fortunate enough to find my own place here on campus, but I couldn't have done that without seeking it out on my own. Everyone has a reason for why he or she goes to UP and what makes this university special to them. In order for you to do this you must realize what your gifts and talents are and go explore.
Please attend the Activities Fair tomorrow afternoon on the Academic Quad from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and sign up for a club. After signing up for that club, go to its meetings and stay involved with it. Attend soccer games, volleyball and other sporting events, attend lectures and speaker series, and join hall council or ASUP and become a student leader.
Returning students, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, welcome back; you're invited too. If you have yet to find out what is so great about this place then seek it out. The activities fair is for you too. Soccer and volleyball games, lectures and speaker series, and hall council or campus program board and ASUP are also for you. If you're not participating in these events or with these groups then you really are missing out. There are currently 70-plus academic and non-academic clubs on campus and this year we just added an Entrepreneurship Club, a Native American Club, a French Club, and a whole slew of others.
So welcome back to all of you. Please try to find your place here and find what defines UP for you; what makes UP great for you. As the late Donald Shiley, an amazing University of Portland alum and generous benefactor said, "find out what God gave you and then sharpen and hone and train your gift, and then go use it." A student cannot enjoy his time here at UP unless he has figured out what he enjoys doing. Hone your gifts and sharpen them by being active and involved.
Visit us in the ASUP office in St. Mary's and find out how to get involved either with us, through the ASUP senate, or through the number of clubs and activities we help to sponsor. We'll help to point you in the right direction; we're here rooting for you to do well.
