Catawba College News Service

SALISBURY — Catawba College kicked off the official start of its 173rd academic year with its opening convocation on Tuesday.

The event was held in the Omwake-Dearborn Chapel. Catawba College welcomed over 450 new undergraduate and graduate students this fall with classes beginning Wednesday.

Rev. Kendra Joyner-Miller (Class of 2011) offered the invocation, followed by Dr. David P. Nelson, Catawba College president, and Dr. ChaMarra Saner, interim provost, installing this year’s junior marshals.

Convocation attendees were also introduced to new student government officers, including Suzie Rodriquez, president; Lauren Swallow, vice president; and Leon Heiermann, in a second term as treasurer.

Members of the campus community heard brief remarks from Suzie Rodriquez (Class of 2024), student government association president; Robert B. Arnold, Jr. (Class of 1971), Catawba’s board of trustees chair; Dr. Luke Dollar, acting chair of the faculty senate; and Holly Bautista, staff council chair.

Salisbury Mayor Karen Alexander brought greetings on behalf of the city.

In his convocation address, President Nelson called the college to reflect together on the Catawba Ideal, represented by the terms on the college seal: “scholarship with character and culture for service.”

“This is why you hear me talk about the people of Catawba making the world more like the place we all want to live,” Nelson said.

As the 2023-2024 academic year begins, he reminded those gathered to join in that shared college goal of creating the campus community.

“This is our time to live out the Catawba ideal together, to welcome the light of learning, the light of truth, the light of love,” Nelson said.

Following convocation, the campus community gathered to enjoy a meal together al fresco with dining choices curated from a flotilla of food trucks.