SMU President R. Gerald Turner speaks to first year students at Convocation in McFarlin Auditorium. (Sidney Hollingsworth/The Daily Campus)

SMU welcomed 320 transfer students and over 1,400 members of the Class of 2016 and a number of new faculty members, in a tradition-laden ceremony Sunday.

The faculty wore robes whose design is not dissimilar from those worn for centuries at Oxford and Cambridge.

The new Mustangs, like thousands before them, processed two-by-two through historic Dallas Hall from back to front, carefully avoiding stepping on the seal.

Over 20 blue-robed alumni marshals, alumni who have children among the entering class, stood guard around the seal to avoid an errant step derailing a student’s plan to graduate with her or his class.

As new students exited Dallas Hall and processed to the ceremonies in McFarlin Auditorium, they were greeted by cheering continuing students, residence hall staff, parents and other relatives.

As they prepared to move up the steps of the auditorium, many stopped to greet a real Mustang.

For Peruna IX, who only began his mascot duties in the middle fall semester last year, this was his first Convocation too.

While Peruna refused to speak on the record, it did seem that he had his eye on the green grass of the Main Quad lawn.

Like nearly a century of students before them, the new Mustangs took their seats in McFarlin and then stood for the processional and the invocation by Stephen Rankin, chaplain and minister to the university.

When they were once again seated, Paul Ludden, provost and vice president of University Affairs, introduced Caren Prothro, chair of the Board of Trustees; Faculty Senate President Steven Edwards and student body President Alex Mace who each spoke in turn.

Prothro said, that the Board of Trustees pledged, “to strive to make wise decisions.”

Edwards encouraged the new faculty to become involved in the life of the University, offered words of encouragement to parents and challenged the new students to take charge of their education, saying, “be changed and change those around you,” and concluded by adding that the faculty was eager to help students achieve their dreams.

Mace encouraged the first years and transfers to become involved in student organizations and to “support our athletes” by attending games.

Mace’s closing advice was to “read widely, speak boldly and drink deeply of what SMU has to offer you.”

One of the many things SMU has to offer is great entertainment provided by students at the Meadows School of the Arts, some of whom, and many of them first years, arrived on campus early to practice “Ballade to the Moon” and “Varsity” with which the Meadows Convocation Chorus captivated the audience.

Though some wondered how different SMU President R. Gerald Turner’s remarks would be from his speech last year, he chose not to recycle last year’s.

Instead Turner focused on both university traditions and that many people are investing in the new students.

While he did mention the seven billion dollar boost the Dallas economy gets from SMU’s presence, he also mentioned other ways students can provide a return on the investment made in them, mainly be giving to others as has been given to them.

And as he quoted from the prophet Micah, “what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

In closing Wes K. Waggoner, the dean of Undergraduate Admission and executive director of Enrollment Services revealed that this entering class has for the first time in over a decade more men than women, a rare thing in modern academia.

Students appreciated the input from top university brass. For many, it was their first on-campus university experience.

“I am a first year. Convocation was really special today. While we were walking through Dallas Hall, it hit me that we are really starting college right now,” Michelle Vogler, a pre-business major, said.

First years were impressed at the attention they received from university officials.

“For Convocation, it was really nice to see President Turner sit with us.” Shahbaaz Khan, a pre-med said.

Khan praised Turner’s approach.

“It makes us feel that we’re not just freshmen like at large institutions. He just sat down with us and spoke with us.”

Parents joined students in celebrating Convocation.

“I just think SMU is such a neat place to build community. I went to a big state school, and we had no Convocation.” Don Hartman, a first year parent, said. “The picnic and other events really made students feel included in the experience.”