Standing at the 21st Street bridge, before it was their moment to cross, members of each house on Vanderbilt's Ingram Commons took a moment to pause and listen to a prerecorded message.
"Good evening! Welcome to the start of your journey here at Vanderbilt. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in your lives, one filled with endless possibilities, learning and growth. … This walk symbolizes your entry into the Vanderbilt family, where each of you will contribute to our shared values of growth, collaboration and belonging."
Thus began Founders Walk, an annual tradition at Vanderbilt that celebrates the moment that first-year, transfer and Next Steps students officially begin their journey as members of the Vanderbilt University community. The celebratory procession, which took place Aug. 17, concludes Move-In Weekend.
At the end of the walk, a magical scene awaited students, with a grand entrance marked for each Commons house amid twinkling lights woven through the lawn's elms and oaks and melodic strains from a string quartet.
After the crowd settled into their seats, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver addressed them, speaking to her role as provost at Vanderbilt and welcoming students as they embark on a journey of growth, one they'll be sharing with the university.
"You have arrived at our university at an exciting time. Like you, Vanderbilt is stepping toward new horizons. We're growing, too, right here, through our new College of Connected Computing, expansions to our campus and groundbreaking initiatives in our city and region and beyond. Through new campuses in New York City and West Palm Beach, and with increasing partnerships to create positive impact around the globe," Raver said. "For all of you, this institutional growth means even more transformative opportunity-more ways for you to deepen and expand your learning."
Raver then introduced Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, who welcomed students with an overview of the Founders Walk tradition and brief history of the university's founding-one whose purpose resonates today.
"Vanderbilt was founded in 1873, in the aftermath of America's devastating Civil War, when two unlikely partners-a Southern minister and a Northern industrialist-envisioned building a university to help mend the wounds of a divided nation," Diermeier said. "Vanderbilt's founders believed-as we still do today-that bringing great minds together in the shared purpose of higher learning would help move society forward. They understood a university's capacity to advance human potential, to find new solutions to seemingly intractable problems and to be a place of hope."
Diermeier also reinforced Vanderbilt's commitment to free expression, citing three pillars for ensuring open discourse on campus: providing an open forum free from the threat of censorship, following a policy of institutional neutrality that removes the university from the role of settling debates, and encouraging civil discourse.
After Diermeier's remarks, Melissa Gresalfi, dean of residential colleges and residential education and dean of The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons, introduced the faculty heads of house. Raver then officially presented the incoming class to Diermeier.
"By virtue of the authority vested in me by the Board of Trust of Vanderbilt University," Diermeier said, "I welcome you to all the responsibilities and privileges of a student at Vanderbilt University. Congratulations!"
The evening ended with the concert choir performing the Vanderbilt alma mater and a brilliant fireworks display that culminated in a performance by the Spirit of Gold marching band.
