President Christopher L. Eisgruber welcomed incoming students to campus during the annual Opening Exercises ceremony Sunday, Sept. 1, sharing his hopes that Princeton’s commitment to the liberal arts will provide them with a “transcendent education.”
“Liberal arts education includes a commitment to the idea that learning and research are among the activities that enable the human spirit to soar,” Eisgruber told the entering transfer students and members of the Class of 2028, seated for the ceremony on the lawn in front of Nassau Hall.
“That education is not just for success, or for citizenship, it is also valuable for its own sake,” he noted.
Opening Exercises is a Princeton tradition that dates to at least 1802. The interfaith ceremony marks the start of a new academic year for undergraduate and graduate students — classes begin Sept. 3 — and includes the awarding of undergraduate academic prizes.
Entering the ceremony, Whitman College students make a “W” in honor of their residential college.
In presenting this year’s honors, Dean of the College Michael D. Gordin said the six students showed “superb academic accomplishments” along with a wide range of scholarly interests.
The event also provided an opportunity to reflect on the values that guide the Princeton community. Eisgruber expressed his appreciation for a campus “that values the fearless pursuit of truth, cherishes the importance of service, and celebrates the dazzling diversity of identities, cultures, faiths, and backgrounds that form the rich tapestry of our community.”
Princeton Pre-Read inspires theme of transcendence
Eisgruber’s Opening Exercises address connected to themes from this year’s Pre-Read book, “The Worlds I See” by Fei-Fei Li. A trailblazing computer scientist and Class of 1999 graduate, Li will discuss her book with the President and incoming students at the Pre-Read Assembly tonight.
“The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of AI” blends Li’s personal story as a young immigrant and scientist with the origin stories of artificial intelligence and human-centered AI. Li writes how she flourished at Princeton, sharing memories like how the University’s vast library collections made her feel that she was “in the presence of something transcendent.”
“I love that idea of ‘something transcendent,’” Eisgruber said, “because I think it expresses a profound insight about this place and the education that happens here.”
President Christopher L. Eisgruber addresses students seated on the lawn in front of Nassau Hall. Opening Exercises dates back to at least 1802.
Li’s undergraduate studies “exemplified the breadth that we expect from a liberal arts education at Princeton, where that concept encompasses the natural sciences, the social sciences, and engineering along with the humanities,” he said.
“She became a leader in the field of computer science by posing novel questions about how the human mind categorizes images — questions that drew inspiration from art, psychology and neuroscience, among other fields.”
Looking out at the rows of students wearing their colorful residential college shirts, Eisgruber said: “We want you to feel the thrill of discovery, to get carried away by ideas, and to get lost in thought. We hope that amidst the books, experiments, artworks and equations you will sometimes feel, as Fei-Fei Li did, that you are in the presence of something transcendent.”
“We hope that these moments and experiences will give you joy and kindle a life-long love of learning,” he added.
Along with expressing gratitude for the opportunity to gather for Opening Exercises, Eisgruber opened the ceremony by asking the students to join him “in observing a moment of silent compassion for all of the many people in the world, be they near this campus or far from it, who bear the burdens of injustice, violence, hunger, disease, natural disaster, or poverty.”
The event also included readings and blessings led by students and an invocation by Dean of Religious Life and the Chapel Theresa Thames. “May we welcome new truths and build a community where every person can truly belong,” Thames said.
Eisgruber smiles for a selfie with a student from Mathey College during the Pre-rade following the ceremony.
Following the ceremony, students walked in the Pre-rade, a joyous mini version of the P-rade that takes place each spring during Princeton Reunions. Alumni, cheerleaders and the Princeton University Band gathered along the Pre-rade route, along with members of the greater Princeton community including the President, faculty members and administrators, to cheer on the new Princeton students.
Opening Exercises part of a robust Orientation program
Opening Exercises was just one part of the University’s robust Orientation programming, which introduced students to academic, co-curricular and extracurricular life at Princeton.
In his third-annual Orientation session on academic freedom and free expression, held last week, Eisgruber joined Vice President for Campus Life W. Rochelle Calhoun to underscore the University’s essential role as a community where members feel welcome to engage in vibrant discussion and argument.
Orientation also included three small group experiences for incoming undergraduates, including Outdoor Action, Community Action, and Dialogue and Difference in Action.
Community Action, coordinated by the John H. Pace Jr. ’39 Center for Civic Engagement, introduces first-year students to community at Princeton and beyond.
Dialogue and Difference in Action provides an opportunity to engage in critical conversations around identity, power, privilege and difference — both in the context of the Princeton University community and society at large.
Outdoor Action lets incoming undergraduates disconnect from their many responsibilities and distractions to establish new friendships through activities such as camping, canoeing, biking and hiking.
Opening Exercises can be viewed on the University’s YouTube channel. The event will be archived online for later viewing.
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Students enjoy a canoe trip as part of Outdoor Action, one of the three small group experiences during Orientation.
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As part of Community Action, students learned about the Pace Center for Civic Engagement’s Community House and helped organize school supplies for the upcoming year.
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During Dialogue and Difference in Action, incoming students engaged in critical dialogues focused on topics related to identity, power, privilege and difference.
