Induction 2024: A Day of Tradition, Inspiration, and New Beginnings
By Nina Prenosil; Photos by Kimberly Manyanga and Amy Silbo
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On Friday, August 30th, at 3:30 p.m., the Commonwealth Honors College (CHC) Induction Ceremony commenced. As the first-year students walked into the Bromery Center for the Arts, they were greeted with a new T-shirt, their official CHC induction pin, and a pin commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Honors College. As students filled the auditorium, you could feel the enthusiasm and anticipation in the air.
The ceremony began with an introduction from Honors dean Mari Castañeda, who welcomed the students and their families. Castañeda spoke to the Honors College experience and ignited hope in the students that their four-year journey will be nothing short of transformative. She also highlighted the sense of the community that CHC fosters and how it has become like family over the years.
The CHC community prides itself on being a tight-knit and supportive group, and the dean shared this sentiment by sharing her favorite African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go farther, go together.”
Dean Castañeda then introduced UMass’s new provost, Fouad Abd-El-Khalick. He began by welcoming the students to campus and congratulating them on their induction into Commonwealth Honors College. His excitement about their journey ahead was clear as he spoke about the opportunities to participate in groundbreaking research, publish in academic journals, and compete for prestigious national awards. He also made sure to thank the students for sharing their college experience with CHC and one day, further expanding the intellectual environment.
“The beauty of it all is that you all will grow together tremendously in more ways than you can imagine,” the provost said.
After the provost had wrapped up with his final words of advice, student speaker, Samuel Cavalheiro, a senior Honors student majoring in political science and Portuguese took the stage. Cavalheiro, who is also a communications assistant for the Honors College, an assistant opinion editor at the Massachusetts Daily Collegian, and currently managing a state senate campaign in Leominster, MA, lifted up the audience with his undeniable excitement for the journey that lies ahead for each student in the auditorium. He shared a personal anecdote about how he discovered his passion for politics and how his Honors experience has contributed to his success. Cavalheiro also reassured the new students that, although they may be nervous now, they will soon find their place at UMass.
The last speaker of the ceremony was Deborah Keisch, the director of the Community Scholars Program (CSP) and senior lecturer in the Civic Engagement and Service Learning Office. In her speech, Keisch discussed the benefits of CSP and community engagement as a whole. She encouraged each student to develop creative solutions to society’s problems, approaching them with meaning, openness, and confidence. As Keisch spoke, she offered three pieces of advice to the students: cultivate community, prioritize health, and center hope.
She ended her speech with a quote from abolitionist Mariame Kaba (2020): “Changing everything might sound daunting, but it also means there are many places to start, infinite opportunities to collaborate, and endless imaginative interventions and experiments to create.”
As the clock struck four in the afternoon, students were invited to stand up and complete the pinning ceremony by turning to the person on their right and fastening their pin. During the pinning, students smiled and applauded each other on their induction into the Honors College. Excitement and joy filled the room as the Minuteman Marching Band joined the celebration, playing the university’s fight song. Gathered together, the audience chanted “Go…Go U… Go UMass!” before exiting the auditorium as CHC’s newest inductees.
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Nina Prenosil
Nina Prenosil is a communications assistant in Commonwealth Honors College.
