Good evening. 

On behalf of the entire UB community, I want to welcome our Class of 2030, and our transfer students, to the University at Buffalo!

Today, you officially become part of the UB community. And in just a few minutes, you will take part in a student tradition dating back to 2005. You will come together to form the interlocking UB.

I love this tradition because, of the many marquee events of Welcome Weekend, it represents what defines UB: It brings people together, it captures our spirit and pride, and it connects UB students across generations.

That’s just a small sample of the rich history and traditions that define UB—and, shortly, Vice President Hamluk will share another one that is distinct to you, our new first-year and transfer students.

So, I share these examples to let you know that, at UB, we have a sense of who we are and where we come from.

But traditions aren’t meant to keep us standing still. They are meant to give us something to build on, and that is exactly what you are doing here. You are joining a university that is proud of its roots but continues to evolve with the times, with our changing society, and above all, with the needs of YOU, our students.

In the classroom, lab and studio, you will ask new questions, explore new possibilities and contribute to the communities you become a part of, shaping what comes next for our university.

You will make discoveries in your discipline and use what you have learned to make an impact locally in our city and region. You will develop your own ways of thinking, build relationships and explore new interests outside your studies along the way.

And you will find yourself learning from people with different experiences, perspectives and ideas—professors, classmates and staff who will challenge you, inspire you and become part of your story. As you do, you will grow not only as a student, but importantly, as a person.

There is something else which is very important that I hope you will remember: While UB will become part of your story, you will become an important part of ours.

The students who came before you helped create the traditions you are inheriting today. And now, it’s your turn to create your own traditions and find ways to make this university even better.

That is what it means to be part of a community: learning from one another and building something together.

As you begin this next chapter, I hope you will hold on to something that is uniquely yours. Stay true to who you are. Bring your experiences with you, and the parts of yourself that may not yet have found a place here—because you don’t have to arrive here with everything figured out.

In fact, I hope you don’t.

College is a time to stay curious, to discover new interests that bring you great joy, and to see the world, and yourself, in new ways. You will continue to grow academically and personally. And I hope you will discover possibilities for yourself that you cannot yet imagine.

Remember: you are not simply joining a story that has already been written! You are helping to write what comes next.

So, when you gather with your classmates to form that interlocking UB tonight, take a moment to look around. You may not know the people around you, but they are your classmates, your neighbors, your teammates and your friends—and together, you are the next generation of this university.

The university you experience a few years from now will be shaped, in part, by what you do here. That is your opportunity and your responsibility, and it is something to be truly excited about.

Stay true to yourselves, build on what came before, and then make your mark on what comes next.

We are thrilled that you are here, and we will support you every step of the way.

Welcome to UB, and to the next chapter of OUR story.