It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ. You are here because you belong here. We have found a great fit between you and the university, and you have the qualities we value in a student.
We want you to feel welcome from your first moment on campus and we hope you will welcome each other. We have enjoyed greeting you with a variety of activities in the last few days. One of them was a photo shoot.
Our new first-year students posed for a group picture at Folsom Field on Thursday evening. The photo, which will be displayed at Regent Hall in the New Student and Family Programs office, is a snapshot of who we are as a campus.
It shows a freshman class that is the most ethnically and racially diverse in our history for the 7thÌýconsecutive year. It portrays a new class of 475 to 500 international freshmen representing 51 countries.
Our new students come from high school graduating classes that range from 1,500 to eight, and they come from every state in the nation.
One of our greatest assets is that we share a campus characterized by diversity in all forms which gives us the opportunity to learn from our many perspectives, cultures and backgrounds.
We know that one of the key factors influencing a student’s success is the campus social climate. By sharing and respecting diverse cultures, opinions and ideas you have the opportunity to build your own success and view of the world.
Participating in a welcoming and inclusive campus environment is everyone’s contribution – new and returning students, faculty and staff.
Working together, we can make CUÌýºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ a model for universities across the nation in creating a vibrant and engaging environment for all.
Let’s make this a great year together.
Go Buffs!
Philip P. DiStefano,
Chancellor
Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano
