September 16, 2014
Freshman Convocation opens UW’s 2014-15 school year
University of Washington President Michael Young will be the featured speaker at the UW’s 31st annual Freshman Convocation, which begins at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, in the Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion.
About 5,000 people are expected to attend this event, which welcomes the entering class. Convocation officially marks the beginning of the academic year, with classes starting Sept. 24. The event will be webcast live and will be broadcast by UWTV the week following Convocation.
The academic procession will be led by Shawn Wong, professor of English and university marshal, carrying the university mace. Provost Ana Mari Cauce, members of the Board of Regents, deans, vice presidents and student leaders, among others, will march in the procession. The convocation will feature music by the University Wind Ensemble.
Following the convocation, Young will host a picnic for attendees on Rainier Vista lawn. About 1,500 people are expected to attend.
Husky Kickoff commences at 2:30 p.m., with incoming freshmen and transfer students getting to know each other through some high-energy games and culminating in the traditional forming of a huge “W” on the Husky Stadium field.
Preliminary figures show the incoming freshman class will include about 6,400 students, with nearly 5,000 from Washington and others representing 47 more states and Washington, D.C., plus 38 other countries.
