New Student Convocation 2023

con•vo•ca•tion
Latin convocationem, from convocare, “to call together”; from com-, “together” + vocare, “to call”; from vox “voice”.  A group of people formally assembled for a special purpose.  A ceremonial assembly at a college or university.

Curry College will celebrate the annual New Student Academic Convocation on Monday, August 28, 2023, officially welcoming the incoming Class of 2027 to campus, while sharing the many opportunities ahead for the new academic year.

Convocation begins with the new student procession at 9:30 a.m. on Westhaver Park, followed by the official program at 10:00 a.m. inside Katz Gymnasium.

Note: The full 2023 Convocation ceremony will be video-recorded and posted online.

2023 Program

Welcome
Jay Gonzalez
President

National Anthem
Performed by Olivia Silva
Communication, Class of 2026

Centering
Rev. Dr. Ian Mevorach, MDiv, PhD
Director of Spiritual Life

Presentation of the Class of 2027
Dr. Edmund T. Cabellon
Vice President of Enrollment Management

Student Speaker
Jemima Celestin
Biology, Class of 2026

Faculty Speaker
Dr. Katherine-Marie Conover
Associate Professor, School of Nursing

Keynote Speaker
Courtney Lee ’17
Communication
Social Media Lead, NASA

Matriculation of the Entering Class
Dr. Robert Shea
Interim Provost

Recessional

Keynote Speaker

Courtney Lee '17
Social Media Lead
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

Curry College Communication program alumna Courtney Lee ’17 serves as the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Social Media Lead at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland. This telescope is a key NASA observatory designed to unravel the secrets of dark energy and dark matter, search for and image exoplanets, and explore many topics in infrared astrophysics.

In her role, Courtney leads the influencer engagement program at GSFC, and helps manage media campaigns for the agency that connects scientists, engineers, and astronauts to media outlets all over the globe. Notable campaigns Courtney has worked on include the OSIRIS-REx departure–the first U.S. mission to collect a sample from an asteroid–and the launch of the Perseverance Rover to Mars.