Though it has been several decades, I still vividly remember my first semester as a college student. I was enrolled in 17 hours of general-education courses, chosen for me by my academic advisor. The courses ranged from ancient and medieval history and literature to Spanish. I found them all challenging and engaging in different ways—and two of the courses led to what would eventually become my majors: a course in World Religions leading to a major in religion and philosophy and a course in public speaking prompting a communication major.

I certainly didn’t expect to identify a major as the semester began. I just wanted to be a successful student and maintain my academic scholarship. I heeded the advice of my literature professor who told the entering freshmen that we should spend at least twice as much time outside of class preparing for each class as we spent in class every day.  I confess that wasn’t always the case, but as I did spend time reading assignments, practicing vocabulary, researching speeches and papers and prepping for exams, I found myself able to engage in discussions, to ask appropriate questions and to apply what we heard in class to assignments outside of class. Preparation, attention and review: it became a workable formula for making the most of each course—and it helped me identify the best pathways for me as an undergraduate student.

In that spirit, I challenge you to engage deeply in whatever courses you are enrolled this fall term. Some may be within the major you are interested in pursuing. Others may be from disciplines you don’t yet know much about, but are components of Berry’s general-education core. Take each course seriously, understanding that some will build on knowledge and skills you’ve already gained to challenge you to deepen and extend your abilities, and others may require you to start something entirely new. Some will broaden your understanding of the connections across fields of study, and some will push you to new areas for application and practice. Such growth is not always comfortable or easy, but it will be worthwhile.

And who knows? Maybe one or more of the courses you take this fall will propel you on a lifelong journey of learning and application. Maybe one or more will confirm the interests you’ve had for a long time. Maybe one or more will challenge you to work harder than you thought you could—to offer your very best as a student. That would be a great way to mark a new year, wouldn’t it?

On behalf of the faculty and staff in Academic Affairs, it is a pleasure to welcome you to the Berry community. We look forward to working with you as you learn, lead and serve over the next four years.