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

JOIN THE 
MICHIGAN 

DAILY

We’re a fun 

bunch of folks!

#TMD

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

