Undergraduate Studies
Student Orientation
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Undergraduate Studies
Student Orientation
First-Year Programs
Academic Advising
Disability Services
Academic Learning Services
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University Convocation |
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University Convocation is a formal welcome for new students and faculty. It's the culminating event of the Week of Welcome, setting the tone for the new academic year, and highlighting the appeal of intellectual activity. Convocation traditions go back several centuries and vary from university to university. In the 16th century, Oxford University used the term to describe an assembly of master's graduates, welcoming them to the order of scholars. At the University of Oregon, convocation marks the start of the academic year and welcomes students to the scholarly world of the university. The event is very festive with faculty wearing their academic regalia, rousing music in the air, and a picnic dinner for students and faculty on a campus lawn. Each year, a notable speaker is invited to address the gathered assembly of students and faculty, providing them with "food for thought" as they embark on the adventure of a new academic year. Dr. Steven Pinker, the 2008 Keynote Speaker, was recently named one of TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People in The World Today. He asks audacious questions about the human mind, and then boldly sets out to answer them. Enormously popular in the mainstream media and highly respected in scientific circles, Pinker is known for his brilliance, his verve, his humor, and his innovative ideas.
Dr. Steven Pinker, Johnstone Family Professor of Psychology Harvard University UO CONVOCATION September 28, 2008
Other information about Dr. Pinker may be found at the following links: http://pinker.wjh.harvard.edu/
http://www.reitstoen.com/pinker.php
and for fun, Dr. Steven Pinker as Stephen Colbert’s guest: http://www.comedycentral.com/motherload/index.jhtml?ml_video=81914
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