WYOMISSING, Pa. — Penn State Berks kicked off the 2023-24 academic year with its fifth annual convocation ceremony for incoming and transfer students to welcome the members of the Class of 2027 to campus. The ceremony was held Aug. 21 under the tent on Perkins Plaza.

For the ceremony, faculty donned their academic regalia. The processional was led by Lorena Tribe, faculty senate chair and associate professor of chemistry, and senior Matthew Kauffman, who presented the "Penn State Values" poem.

Todd Migliaccio, vice chancellor and chief academic officer, and Viktoriia Vozharenko, student government association president, welcomed first-year students. Chancellor Radha Pyati gave introductory remarks, and the keynote presentation was delivered by Alexa Hodge, coordinator of student support services, whose speech titled “Belonging: You Matter” encouraged students to lean on the connections they make and build their own community.

“In moments of uncertainty, remember that seeking help is a testament to your determination to succeed. It will propel you forward in ways you cannot imagine,” Hodge said.

First-year and transfer students were asked to commit to the college’s core values of personal and academic integrity, respect, responsibility, discovery, excellence and community.