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An OHIO Handshake: Professor Brenda Brueggemann Speaks at 2012 Convocation

September 17, 2012

An OHIO Handshake: Professor Brenda Brueggemann Speaks at 2012 Convocation

Professor Brueggemann’s words at the 2012 President’s Convocation for first-year students took the form of a “handshake” in American Sign Language – “my offering to you:  a huge, humble, honest, imaginative, and open WELCOME to Buckeye Nation.”

The President’s Convocation is the official welcome event at Ohio State for first-year students. They hear from President Gee, faculty, administrators, and special guests, and are introduced to some time-honored university traditions. Convocation is the first of many memorable moments for incoming students at OSU and the only time prior to graduation that the entire class is gathered. So it was a particular honor for the Department of English that Professor Brenda Brueggemann was invited to be the Faculty Speaker at Convocation this year

As the speaker representing OSU faculty, Professor Brueggemann  joined President Gee and others to provide an exciting welcome to Campus for new students, and offering them some tips for academic success.

So, here is our handshake again:

Offer.

Huge.  Humble. Honest

Imaginative.

Open.

O-H-I-O. This is the handshake I extend to you –as we—begin anew in August 2012 at The Ohio State University.

See WRL News for more pictures, and the full Text of Professor Brueggemann's speech.

This fall, Convocation was held on August 20th at 10:30 a.m. at St. John Arena. There were 7000 new freshman/transfer students, and about 3000 others in attendance at this year’s Convocation. Professor Brueggemann was selected for this distinction because of her scholarly achievements as an Ohio State faculty member, and one who has been recognized for excellence in her field -- a remarkable representative of the faculty for the incoming students.