Golden State Today

Wisdom from Chancellor Rich Lyons, Taiko drumming, an inspiring video, and Oski's antics marked this year's annual event.

By Amy Cranch

August 23, 2024

Like most incoming students at UC Berkeley, Jocelyn Orozco is both nervous and excited. She’s nervous about “how challenging the classes are and how competitive everyone is,” she said, and “excited about meeting new friends and absorbing as much as I can in the next two years.”

A transfer student from Santa Barbara City College, Orozco knows she’ll have less time to adjust to Berkeley than first-year students, but she’s eager to dive in.

“I was very involved all throughout high school and city college,” she said. “I’m very school spirited.”

Orozco got her first taste of Berkeley’s spirit on Thursday morning when nearly 9,000 new students gathered for fall convocation at Haas Pavilion. The annual rite of passage is part of Golden Bear Orientation, a six-day whirlwind that connects the newest members of the campus community to each other and to faculty and staff, and introduces them to Berkeley’s resources and culture.

For most students, instruction at Berkeley starts Wednesday, Aug. 28.

This year’s convocation included a thunderous performance by Cal Raijin Taiko, Berkeley’s Japanese drumming ensemble; traditional and contemporary songs by the Cal Band; a video — “What will be your first step at Berkeley?” — and the antics of campus mascot Oski the Bear. Administrative and student leaders offered a mix of personal stories and wisdom.

Chancellor Rich Lyons, in his first convocation address as Berkeley’s newly-minted 12th chancellor, told students: “You will also soon discover the ‘Berkeley Way,’ at the heart of which is our incessant questioning of the status quo [...] our unshakeable belief that there has got to be a better way.”

Lyons said faculty members and students at Berkeley have the freedom and agency to imagine and explore what the future holds. “This is innovation and entrepreneurship on a grand scale,” he said, referring not just to the number of venture-backed startups launched by alumni but to “everything we do.”

Alumni speaker Sara Peach, who graduated last spring with a degree in architecture, recalled attending convocation as her first step in shaking off anxiety as a new student.

“I was too shy to talk to anyone on my first day. I remember wearing my favorite bright pink pair of pants hoping that someone would compliment them,” she said. “Thankfully, a kind girl came up to me and did just that.”

That girl eventually became Peach's roommate. She reminded Peach to make the most of her Berkeley experience: “At the end of the day you get what you give,” she said. “It may not be that first interaction that brings you someone to lean on but rather the third or more.”

Shrinidhi Gopal, ASUC president told new students: "Watch yourself fill out an application for [Berkeley] Haas your sophomore year [do] research with Nobel laureates during your summers or witness firsthand experimentation with elements our school has discovered."

Before convocation began students huddled in small groups assigned during orientation discussing where they’re from what they’re interested in why they chose Berkeley.

Among them was America Ortiz who transferred from Oxnard College in Southern California now lives in Anchor House Berkeley’s newest home for transfer students. She explained choosing Berkeley was easy due financial aid package received:

"I got full ride No1 school California so had come."

Ortiz received Regents’ Chancellor’s Scholarship financially supporting family scholarship deciding factor where go:

"It sign supposed go support succeed."

More financial support available rising tide last year campus awarded $1 billion financial aid scholarships highest amount ever disbursed for 2024-25 school year nearly $3079 million given over 20k students

If convocation indication next school year promises excitement exploration potential.

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