Ahead of convocation, seniors donned their graduation gowns and gathered on the Campus Center Event Lawn to pose for photos and hug classmates they hadn’t seen since the spring. Students from other class years cheered them on as they processed with faculty and staff to Hay Outdoor Theatre. “Convocation holds special meaning as it signifies the renewal of each academic year,” President Paula Johnson told the audience. “This moment at the beginning of every fall is filled with hope and the anticipation of new possibilities.”
Photographer Joel Haskell captured images from the annual event.
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“Every one of us at Wellesley is surrounded by remarkable people—more remarkable because they never forget that there is always something new to learn and discover and create,” President Paula Johnson told the audience. -
“We can have our individuality but still understand what it means to prioritize a collective,” Mia Cadena, college government president, told her classmates. “Creating strong communities—looking to others for support when needed and giving to others—is how we will truly achieve.”
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“It is OK not to have a plan – it really is,” Provost Courtney Coile told the students. “My advice is to take a wide variety of courses and pursue experiences that interest you and challenge you and introduce you to new things, and see what you enjoy.” -
“Respect does not mean agreeing with everyone or avoiding challenging conversations,” Chief Justice Noelle Davis said during convocation. “Instead, it calls us to engage openly and thoughtfully, recognizing the inherent dignity of every person we encounter and understanding that our words have the power to uplift or to wound.”
