Avenue house.
“I live across the street in the
Law School dorm and my room
faces the President’s House,”
law student Mary Waller said. “I
thought it would be cool to see
the inside.”
While
Schlissel
hosted
a
similar event last year, this
year’s layout was adjusted to
accommodate long lines.
Last
year,
Schlissel
and
Schwebs received attendees on
their patio, meaning the long
line formed throughout the
home and onto the front lawn.
This year, Schlissel decided to
receive students further into
the backyard, making it easier
for those invited to explore the
home and socialize.
LSA junior Jasen Garborg said
he found the event to be a chance
to meet new people.
“I thought the event would be
a good opportunity to meet some
other students,” Garborg said. “I
am a transfer student, so maybe
I could meet some other transfer
students.”
Garborg also waited in the
long line to shake hands and chat
with Schlissel for a few minutes.
“It
was
a
really
cool
opportunity to meet the guy that
runs the ship,” he said.
LSA junior Erich Eberhard
came to the event for a very
specific reason.
“I came here for one purpose,
and one purpose only: to find
out if Schlissel actually lives in
this house,” Eberhard said. “I’ve
been wondering since I was a
freshman whether or not the
presidents live in this house.”
According
to
Eberhard,
Schlissel responded that he was
quick to accept the offer to live
in a mansion on campus.
2
5A — Tuesday, September 8, 2015
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
President walks
to New Student
Convocation with
freshmen students
By BRANDON
SUMMERS-MILLER
Daily Staff Reporter
Students and staff gathered
on the front lawn of Univer-
sity President Mark Schlissel’s
South University Avenue home
to participate in the first annu-
al walk to the Crisler Center for
New Student Convocation.
The Friday afternoon walk,
which began with about 50 stu-
dents at the President’s House,
quickly grew into a large crowd
of University freshmen, resi-
dence hall staff and the occa-
sional faculty member.
The procession was orga-
nized to give freshmen a unique
experience to meet Schlis-
sel and other members of the
freshman class.
LSA
junior
Elizabeth
Warbasse, a South Quad resi-
dent advisor, said convocation
provides a good introduction to
the University, and she wanted
to be sure her residents didn’t
miss the opportunity to attend.
“I really wanted my fresh-
men in my hall to have the
chance to meet the president of
the University,” she added.
The trail to convocation
passed
several
University
icons including an impromptu
performance by the Michi-
gan Marching Band and a visit
from the South Quad mascot,
Squady.
As the procession reached
its destination, freshmen took
their seats in the Crisler Center
to hear Schlissel welcome them
to the University.
At the beginning of his
address,
Schlissel
jokingly
advised
freshmen
students
to try the corned beef reuben
from Zingerman’s Delicatessen
and invest in a warm winter
coat.
Schlissel said this fall’s fresh-
man class was admitted dur-
ing yet another year of record
applications — over 50,000 in
all — with Schlissel stressing
that attending the University is
already a great distinction few
others can claim.
“I’ve learned a tremendous
amount about the kind of stu-
dent we attract here to the Uni-
versity of Michigan, and what
their experience will be like
here,” he said. “I learned first-
hand that our students — that
you — have tremendous energy,
entrepreneurial spirit, social
consciousness
and
amazing
potential.”
Schlissel welcomed parents
in the audience as well.
“You are now all members
of the Michigan family,” he
said. “I hope you parents are
as proud of your students as we
are.”
During the remainder of his
speech, Schlissel emphasized
the impact University students
and alumni across the country
and abroad.
“You’ve come to Michigan
to make a difference in the
world,” he said.
Convocation also featured
several talent acts, including
an appearance by the Michigan
Men’s Glee Club, a performance
by Michigan Manzil and a ren-
dition of the national anthem
by Music, Theatre & Dance
senior Nora Schell.
LSA
freshman
Madeline
Carter, who attended Friday’s
ceremony, said she is looking
forward to her time at the Uni-
versity.
“There’s so much spirit at
Michigan, and it makes me so
excited to be a part of every-
thing,” she said. “It’s so much
more than I could have thought
it would be.”
New academic year marks
new tradition for Schlissel
WELCOME WEEK FESTIVITIES
LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily
CLOCKWISE: Students walk from campus to the New Student Convocation Ceremony held in Crisler Arena on Friday. School of Music, Theater, and Dance senior Nora Schell performs the national anthem during the ceremony. The Michigan March-
ing Band close the ceremony with “ Yellow and Blue”. Education graduate students Katie Forsythe and Dan Hay pose for a photograph with President Schlissel and his wife Monica. CSG President Cooper Charlton and University President Mark Schlis-
sel watch the performances during the ceremony.
RUBY WALLAU/Daily
Professor emeritus,
University Musical
Society receive award
By JACKIE CHARNIGA
Daily Staff Reporter
The
University
Musical
Society and George Shirley, a
professor emeritus at the School
of Music, Theatre & Dance, will
receive the prestigious National
Medal of Arts at a White House
ceremony Thursday.
The medal — the highest
recognition
for
support
or
excellence in the arts — is the
latest in a lengthy list of accolades
for Shirley, which includes a
Grammy Award for his rendition
of Ferrando in Mozart’s “Così fan
tutte.”
Presented annually by the
president since 1984, medal
winners are selected from a
pool of nominees determined
by the National Endowment
for the Arts and reviewed by
the National Council on the
Arts.
Despite
his
history
of
recognition, Shirley said he never
expected to receive such an
honor.
“I wasn’t looking for, I wasn’t
doing it to be rewarded. I was
doing it because God granted me
the gifts — I think when you’re
presented
with
opportunities
to do things then you do the
best you can. The rewards come
when the audience loves the
performance, and you know that
you’ve touched them.”
Shirley is considered pioneer
for Black artists. At 27 years old,
he was the first Black male to play
a leading role in the Metropolitan
Opera.
Raised in Detroit, Shirley
began studying music education
at Wayne State University before
he was appointed the first Black
high-school music teacher in
Detroit Public Schools.
Before
teaching
at
the
University, Shirley first taught at
the University of Maryland.
“In teaching, rewards are
manifested in the success of your
students,” Shirley said. “Those
are the rewards I’ve looked for
in life and in the profession.
Accolades will come from higher
up in a sense, many for me are
surprises.”
Shirley
referenced
David
Daniels, a former University
student
and
current
faculty
member in the School of Music,
Theatre & Dance, saying under
his instruction, Daniels became
one of the leading countertenors
in the world.
In 1987, Shirley began his
role at the University School of
Music, Theatre & Dance, where
he was director of the Vocal
Arts
Division.
He
currently
serves as the Joseph Edgar
Maddy Distinguished University
Professor of Music.
A
former
board
member,
Shirley said it was an honor to
be involved with the University
Musical
Society,
which
he
deemed
the
most
important
musical series in the country.
“The variety, and the focus
has always been on finding
the best performers,” he said.
“Whether it be opera, theatera,
dance,
drama,
jazz,
blues,
gospel, Indian music, Chinese
music — the best performers
that are out there. Quality
has always been and remains
the high watermark.” UMS
sponsors about 100 educational
events and 75 performances
annually.
The
White
House
said
Shirley is among 11 of the 2015
recipients. Those include actress
Sally Field and novelist Stephen
King, who will also be honored
by President Barack Obama for
their contributions to the artistic
community.
‘U’ honored with prestigious
National Medal of Arts
SCHLISSEL
From Page 1A
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DAILY
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counsel on finding a credible firm
to provide security at parties.
“The idea again isn’t to catch
people, or give people tickets, or
make life hard, it really is to make
life safe,” said E. Royster Harper,
vice president for student life.
Washington said the aim is
achieving a collective “reduc-
tion in harm,” whether that’s
hospital transports, injuries or
instances of sexual misconduct.
Since the focus is largely on pro-
active efforts, he said he wouldn’t
expect to see the number of alco-
hol-related violations go up, even
with additional law enforcement
resources in the area.
He also said campus sentiment
— how people feel about their
relationship with campus police
— is an important factor, too.
“It really is about community
policing,” he said. “Prevention is
about developing relationships,
so we’ve shifted our resources to
be more in the space before the
incident.”
UMPD
From Page 3A