Dr. Fred Pestello, President | St. Louis University
Dr. Fred Pestello, President | St. Louis University
A day after their arrival on campus, the newest students at Saint Louis University participated in the 2024 New Student Convocation and Family Welcome ceremony. The event was held Saturday morning at Chaifetz Arena, marking the beginning of their journey at SLU.
Provost Mike Lewis, Ph.D., opened the ceremony by welcoming the Class of 2028. He emphasized SLU's goal of preparing students to tackle unsolved problems in the world. “You didn’t spend your time in high school so that you could go to university and, four years from now, go out into the world and work on problems that have already been solved,” Lewis said.
Student Government Association President Reueline Arulanandan addressed her new classmates with a message about overcoming doubts. She reflected on her own uncertainties when she first arrived at SLU. “If you resonate with any of that, I promise you are not the only one,” she assured them.
Arulanandan shared her personal journey, including initial struggles and eventual growth through challenges. “At the time, after that devastating test score... a lot of my time... felt wasted,” she said. However, she concluded that "nothing is wasted" and encouraged students to make the most of their time at SLU.
Kim Levenhagen, DPT, a professor at Doisy College of Health Sciences who has been part of SLU for decades, offered guidance from her extensive experience. She urged students to develop academic tools, relationship tools, and self-care tools. “Allow yourself to be vulnerable,” Levenhagen advised.
SLU President Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D., delivered closing remarks amid a standing ovation. He reminded students of their limited time as undergraduates and encouraged them to embrace their identity as Billikens fully. Pestello highlighted lessons learned throughout his career in education and noted common regrets expressed by alumni about not taking college seriously enough.
“We believe that every one of you has everything it takes to be successful here," Pestello said as he welcomed them into the community.
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