Class of 2014,
Welcome to The College of New Jersey and the TCNJ community.
In some ways, you know a great deal about this institution. Many of you have learned about the academic department in which you will be majoring; most of you know the academic school where you will spend your four years at the College. You know of TCNJ’s prestigious national rankings. You’ve seen photos of our beautiful campus and watched videos about student life and athletics on YouTube. Most of you came to Ewing and followed an ambassador around campus to see TCNJ in person. And you’re probably Facebook friends with many of your classmates.
But now is the time when you really become part of TCNJ and thereby begin to shape our campus community. As you start your first semester, I encourage you to seize every opportunity to engage in the life of
the College. Introduce yourself to fellow students, to faculty and staff members and, once you introduce yourself, spend some time getting to know that other person. Join (or start) a club. Play an intramural sport; look into participating in Greek life; attend a competition of one of our nationally recognized varsity athletic teams; enjoy one of our student (or faculty) musical or dramatic productions. Take a walk to the Career Center in the 68 Wing of West Hall and apply for an on-campus job or look into internship opportunities. Itching to travel? It’s never too early to visit the Office of Global Programs and start planning a semester of study abroad. Once you get deeper into your coursework, approach a faculty member about participating in his or her research endeavors, or look into the Mentored Undergraduate Summer Experience (MUSE) program. Find out the stories behind Quimby’s Prairie, the Green Farm House, the sun dial near Brower Student Center, or those brightly colored sculptures on the quad in front of the Art and Interactive Multimedia Building. There is so much available to you. Take advantage of the full TCNJ experience.
You are no longer an observer of TCNJ. You are a member of TCNJ’s community, able to benefit from the College’s offerings and responsible for its future promise. We welcome your arrival and wish you the best as you start your adventure at TCNJ!
President R. Barbara Gitenstein
