For new students arriving at Cornell, one thing is certain: they will find people and ideas different from those they’ve encountered before.

“Some of them you’ll disagree with. Some of them will make you uncomfortable. Some of them might offend you,” President Michael I. Kotlikoff told the nearly 4,800 first-year and transfer students and family members gathered Aug. 19 at Schoellkopf Field for New Student Convocation. “My suggestion – if you want to get the most out of your time here – is to learn from the people who don’t think and speak like you, as well as the people who do.”

Credit: Sreang Hok/Cornell University

Kotlikoff advised the students to listen carefully, speak their minds respectfully and form their own opinions thoughtfully.

“The more you keep your mind open, the more you engage with different ideas and different people, the better you’ll be able to understand the world and all its complexities,” he said. “And the more capable and mature your mind will be when you leave here.”

In addition to acquiring knowledge, students will “assemble an intellectual toolbox” to do everything from evaluating evidence and putting problems into context, to developing the capacity and confidence to participate in civil discourse and gain a fuller understanding of ideas that challenge their worldview, he said.

“And here’s the thing: That kind of intellectual growth is only really possible in a community that cherishes both the freedoms, and the responsibilities, of living in an environment of open intellectual inquiry,” Kotlikoff said. “One that embraces the life of the mind, with the ability to listen, to argue, and yes, disagree, without ever shutting other voices down.”

A Cornell education would not be a life-changing experience without diversity, Kotlikoff said; and the variety of backgrounds, identities and opinions makes the Cornell community “stronger, richer and more capable.”

Marla Love, the Robert W. and Elizabeth C. Staley Dean of Students, who emceed the event, also encouraged students to be open to new ideas, as well as new experiences, and grow from them.

“Sometimes when it’s not planned, when it is not a manageable part of the journey, and you deal with raw, real pain and uncertainty and fear, I want you to know that we really do mean it: We are here for you. I’m here for you,” she said. “There are countless people in this community whose entire professional lives are dedicated to providing support when you expect it the least and need it the most. So please lean on us.”

Credit: Devin Flores/Cornell University

Ryan Lombardi, vice president for student and campus life, welcomed the students via a video message, because he was 650 miles away “experiencing all the excitement and emotions directly today as a parent,” as his own daughter started college.

He told students to be prepared to push themselves outside of their comfort zone.

“The most important point I want to emphasize for you today is that this is your journey. The coming transition begins the shift from other people – your parents, family members or others – shaping your learning in life, to you doing so,” he said. “That change doesn’t happen overnight, but it is a shift that needs to begin to happen. It’s your responsibility. No one else is going to do it for you.”

Zora deRham ’27, undergraduate president of the Student Assembly, reflected on her own journey at Cornell, from joining niche clubs and a sorority to “memorizing 15 TCAT lines.”

“I embraced what was new to me, and as a result, I’m standing on this stage intact and inspired,” she said.

Before she took a series of selfies from the stage, with her “Big Red family” behind her, she offered one last nugget of wisdom: “Remember, a B is not an F.”

Family was a pertinent topic, as this was the first New Student Convocation, which is part of New Student Orientation through the Tatkon Center, that relatives attended since the pandemic began in 2020. Parents and siblings nestled together on the breezy, overcast day, taking in performances from the Big Red Marching Band and the Cornell Chorus and Glee Club. Leaders from each of the colleges welcomed the new cohort whom Kotlikoff described as “among the most talented and most promising students in this country and indeed in the world.”

“All of you have opinions, life experiences and identities that add value,” Kotlikoff said in conclusion. “There are no imposters in this audience. You’re here, because this is where you belong.”