Little encourages incoming students to join the UM-Dearborn community

“Every year we greet another group of talented, curious and imaginative new students,” said Chancellor Daniel Little as he welcomed incoming students. “Each year our courses are enriched by new perspectives from fresh minds; and each year our student organizations have a new infusion of talent and energy. Your arrival is part of the creative mix that keeps the university lively and dynamic.”

The ceremony, held in the Fieldhouse, included remarks from Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Life Stanley Henderson, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Kate Davy and Student Government President Dennis A Lienhardt, Jr.

Little encouraged students to take responsibility for their education and to become active participants in their community.

“You are beginning a truly important part of your life course by becoming a student at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. So I will take the risk of offering a few thoughts about what your education can do for you. Of course we want to help you prepare for a career. But more fundamentally, we want to prepare you as thinkers, creators, leaders and doers,” he said.

“If your generation is going to solve the difficult problems we face in every direction—economic stagnation, intergroup conflict, hunger and malnutrition, rapid climate change, or urban decline—then you’ll need all those skills of creativity and problem-solving that you can gain. And the broad education we want you to have at UM-Dearborn is the best way I know of to gain these skills.”

Approximately 2100 new students enrolled at UM-Dearborn this fall, including 891 freshmen, 865 transfer students and 360 graduate students. Final enrollment numbers, which will be available later this month, are expected to include more than 9100 total students, the largest number in campus history.

A look at the new student population reveals:

• Incoming freshmen graduated from 183 different high schools and two homeschool programs;
• Incoming freshmen averaged a 3.6 GPA in high school and a 24 ACT score;
• Transfer students came from 168 different collegiate institutions and range in age from 18-69;
• New students were born in 30 of the 50 states and represent 51 different birth countries.

New students joined administrators and faculty members for an ice cream social following Convocation.

View more photos on the university's Facebook page.