DARREL COLSON PRESIDENT
Welcome to campus for a new school year.
It may seem odd that I’m welcoming you to campus, for many of you—indeed, most of you—have been members of the Wartburg community for longer, some for far longer, than I have.
Nevertheless, it is one of the great privileges and prerogatives for Presidents to welcome folks to campus, so I’m going to exercise that prerogative and say to everyone, upper-class students as well as first-year students, “Welcome to Wartburg.”
I am both delighted and humbled by the opportunity to serve as Wartburg’s 17th President; and it seems especially propitious that I am joining you this year, the Year of the Liberal Arts. Those of you who have heard me speak already know that I feel a deep commitment to liberal education and that I truly, firmly and unshakably believe what you learn here will equip you for rich lives of profound success.
I envy you for the opportunity you have to attend Wartburg; I wish that I could have done the same.
Those of you who have heard me speak also know that I’m devoted to the mission of the college: in the time given to me, I intend to do everything I can to ensure that you are challenged and nurtured for lives of leadership and service as a spirited expression of your faith and learning.
A large part of my effort will be to remain available to students so that I can understand your hopes and dreams and do what is in my power to help you answer the calls that you hear.
In my short time on campus, I have met with many of you already, both in groups and singly, but I know that I haven’t yet met all of you. I want to fix that. My goal is to know each of you by the time you graduate.
In this, my first piece for the Trumpet, I’m going to ask for your help. Introduce yourselves to me, tell me something about yourself, and, above all, be patient with me. It’ll take a while for me to remember you by name, so please remind me who you are each time we meet. You might feel silly telling me who you are again, but take pity on an old man whose memory is weak.
It’s time for me to sign off, but go forth and be orange, OK?