Freshman receive personal welcome to NDSU campus

Thunderous applause and cheering surrounded a crowd of freshmen NDSU students near the University gates Monday afternoon.

The Gold Star Marching Band, Thundar, cheer team, dance team, yell leaders, NDSU President Dean Bresciani, Student Body President Luke Brodeur and Student Body Vice President Jace Beehler treated the incoming freshman class to a personal welcome.

Brodeur addressed the crowd of freshmen. “Today is all about you, students,” he began.

He gave three pieces of advice to incoming freshmen.

First, “let your own morals guide you as opposed to other students around you,” he said.

Second, he encouraged students to pursue what they love with “all the passion [they] can muster.”

Third, he reminded them that the relationships developed at NDSU will define their college experience.

Brodeur gave one last important statement: “You are not alone.”

Freshmen Becky Guck said this piece of advice is particularly important. “It is good to know all these people are in the same boat as us,” Guck said.

Freshmen Wes Dunker and Jacob Miller came to the event to hear the president and get the free T-shirts given out after the event. Dunker and Miller are most excited about the football games for this year so the introduction of the Yell Leaders was especially important to them, they said.

Juniors Eric Miller and Jayme McGillis were selected as the 2012 Yell Leaders by the Bison Ambassadors, NDSU Athletics and the NDSU Alumni Association.

The two cheered that they were “loud and proud” while wearing their bright yellow suits. They are present to “teach [freshmen] the Bison way,” McGillis said.

Also present to sport bison pride was Sarah Hansen of Lakewood, Ill., the first student of the 2016 freshmen class to be admitted to NDSU. President Bresciani invited her up to the podium, where she told her story.

Once she came to visit NDSU, Hansen “absolutely fell in love,” she said. “At NDSU, I know I can succeed in whatever I try to do.”

President Bresciani ended the event by leaving the freshmen with a piece of wisdom: “Once a Bison, always a Bison. Go Bison.”