DU students,

I often think about the day I will graduate from DU and how I will feel about my peers who will be accompanying me across the stage. To me, Graduation Day will be the time that we show our various families, friends, and professors that the class has truly come together. Graduating collectively shows that no matter where each individual came from, the class has gone through a journey together and come out as a team, all wearing the uniform of the day, a graduation cap and gown. It proves that we learned from our Freshman Orientation, many hockey games, class projects and presentations that we could not go through college or graduate alone. Large events are not the only ones that represent the importance of collaboration in college. Everyday a student participates in class discussions, plans a program for the student body, or gives 110% on an athletic field, that student helps to build a stronger heritage for the school. I want you to consider how you want to feel on your Graduation Day, whether it be in a few months or four years. Do you want to know that you tried your best in all your classes and are proud of your GPA? Then keep working hard in class, go to hear the various speakers on campus, and attend your professors’ office hours. Do you want to know you created the best friends a person could have and memories that will last a lifetime? Then look into Greek Life, student organizations on campus, and the intramural and club sports. Do you want to feel like you made your mark on DU? Then look into the various leadership positions on campus and the available work study opportunities. Every person on campus has the tools that are needed to make his/her college experience exactly what he/she wants it to be, even if that idea changes. It is never too late to get involved on campus or change your life. Every day is a gift and an opportunity to do better than yesterday. However, positive changes can not occur unless everyone works together. Make sure that you are attending class, going to programs that are created on campus, and cheering for DU athletes at sporting events. When your class does graduate, you should be able to look around and know that the people sitting by you helped make your goal in college become a reality. I want you all to know that the Senate and I are a resource for you in making college the best time of your life. By listening to you, the public, the Senate can form the initiatives and make the difference that you think will improve the campus.Feel free to come to the Senate meetings which are held at 6:00 PM every Tuesday in the Driscoll Gallery or email me at mcartier@du.edu. I look forward to seeing you and hearing your ideas. After all, if I cannot assist you directly, then I cannot possibly accomplish my college goal of becoming a helpful and inspirational leader.

Sincerely, Megan CartierAUSA Vice-President