Media Credit: Lauren Sommer Rev. William Neenan, SJ, lit a torch from Meghan Hillmeyer, A&S ´08, to welcome residents of Gonzaga dormitory into the Boston College community.

Media Credit: Lauren Sommer Tracy Kidder and Dr. Paul Farmer, far left, admire a ceremonial brazier before the First Year Academic Convocation.

Media Credit: Annie Lu Freshmen enjoyed a barbecue on the Dustbowl before the Convocation.

The class of 2008 gathered to celebrate the Inaugural First Year Academic Convocation, aimed at creating unity and a sense of tradition among freshmen, last Tuesday. The event, which started with a barbecue on the Dustbowl, ended at Conte Forum with remarks from Paul Farmer, founder of the humanitarian group Partners in Health.

Many students took a seat on the grass and enjoyed their barbecue favorites while awaiting the procession to Conte. Freshmen proceeded down Linden Lane for a symbolic First Flight,and were met by lighted torches, music, and the marching band as they filled Conte.

The freshman class, as well as faculty, staff, and upperclassmen in attendance, were welcomed by John Burns, associate academic vice president for undergraduate programs.

Undergraduate Government of Boston College (UGBC) President Grace Simmons, A&S '05, and Vice President of Student Affairs Cheryl Presley also offered introductory remarks.

University President Rev. William P. Leahy, SJ, was the first of three keynote speakers. Leahy emphasized the importance of convocation as the freshmen were united as part of the BC family. He, like Simmons, encouraged the class of 2008 to make the most of their BC experiences.

As part of the Conversations in the First Year program, of which the Convocation was the first event, freshmen were encouraged to read Tracy Kidder's biography of Farmer, Mountains Beyond Mountains. Both Kidder and Farmer spoke.

Kidder explained important themes of his book and how such themes could relate specifically to the students in the room.

He encouraged students to take part in a "moral adventure" of their own.

He also encouraged freshmen to question conventional ideas. "The root of all that is wrong with the world is the belief that some people's lives matter more than other people's," he said.

Finally, Kidder was careful to emphasize that although it sounded overly idealistic, he believed that "one small group of people can in fact change the world."

Farmer served as the Convocation's concluding and most dynamic keynote speaker. Farmer is a Harvard-trained doctor who established Partners in Health to bolster the deplorable health care system in Haiti.

Partners in Health has expanded and raised millions of dollars to provide healthcare to impoverished people in Peru, Siberia, and Boston, among other places.

Farmer began his speech on a jovial note, commenting on the ceremonies surrounding the freshman procession. "From now on, I won't go to an event if there's not a marching band and those girls that twirl things around," he said.

Farmer emphasized that places like BC were islands of privilege when compared to places like Haiti. He told Boston College students that they were "the best there is," so "these four years here, this is your chance."

Farmer highlighted the differences between the U.S. and Haiti. "They don't have the luxury that we have to protect ourselves from history," he said.

He encouraged the class of 2008 to "dare to do a better job than what someone in my generation has done" because this kind of attitude will truly set the world aflame.

Farmer's concluding words encouraged BC students to reach out beyond the boundaries of their normal, everyday lives. "Resist the temptation to not know the world," he said.

While some students did complain of the expensive charge for the mandatory barbeque and the lost time in the evening to complete homework assignments due the following morning, many who attended Convocation said that the event was indeed worthwhile. "I enjoyed Paul Farmer's humorous words," said Rob Ngai, CSOM '08.

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