The Optimist
  • Home
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Features
  • Print Edition
    • The Pessimist
    • Special Projects
  • Police Log
  • Classifieds
You are here: Home / News / Opening Day Ceremonies highlight international influence

Opening Day Ceremonies highlight international influence

August 27, 2009 by Colter Hettich

Opening Day Ceremonies emphasize past, present and future

Moody Coliseum was filled to the top with students, faculty, alumni and visitors for Abilene Christian University’s traditional Opening Day Ceremonies Monday. After faculty members filed in to the sounds of the Big Purple Band, more than 100 students paraded around the coliseum carrying flags as a symbol of the campus’ cultural diversity.

Dr. Jeanine Varner, provost, officially called the university’s 104th school year to order. Most of the ceremony mirrored years past, but there were some noticeable differences. Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, announced it was due time for modifications.

“For those of you who have been with us before, we’re changing things up a bit in our Opening Ceremonies,” Money said. “We’ve been doing it the same for over 20 years.”

This year’s ceremonies did not feature the traditional arrangement of “Battle Hymn of the Republic” or the lowering of a massive American flag from the ceiling. Rather than display all the community’s patriotism at one event, Money said it would be woven throughout the year, including into holidays such as Independence Day and Constitution Day.

After taking the podium, Money addressed more than 1,000 incoming freshmen before speaking to the rest of the crowd.

“I can tell you this is a truly outstanding class, perhaps, maybe, our best ever – we will see,” Money said, smiling.

Money used his final Opening Day Ceremonies’ address to challenge students to confront adversity with faith. Money said when people are overloaded with information and anxiety, they either react with fear or faith.

“They are either consumed by fear of the unknown, and are immobilized or pulled in,” he said. “Or they develop a deeper, richer faith in God and act on that faith to do what they can with God’s help. That is what we do here.”

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Opening Chapel

Other News:

  • Provost adopts new policy for emeriti faculty

  • Demolition begins on Sherrod residential apartments

  • ACU Gives exceeds goal, raises over $919,000

About Colter Hettich

You are here: Home / News / Opening Day Ceremonies highlight international influence

Other News:

  • Provost adopts new policy for emeriti faculty

  • Demolition begins on Sherrod residential apartments

  • ACU Gives exceeds goal, raises over $919,000

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
2 Dec

BREAKING: The internet is now up and running after a short campus-wide outage.

Reply on Twitter 1863647460322640102 Retweet on Twitter 1863647460322640102 Like on Twitter 1863647460322640102 1 Twitter 1863647460322640102
acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
7 Nov

The Optimist and ACUTV partnered together to produce a 3-hour live election show on Tuesday night. A team of 25 students worked for weeks preparing while doing research and interviews with guests like Dr. Phil Schubert and Rep. Stan Lambert.

Reply on Twitter 1854352279605817812 Retweet on Twitter 1854352279605817812 2 Like on Twitter 1854352279605817812 9 Twitter 1854352279605817812

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

10 months ago

The Optimist

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

1 years ago

The Optimist
"Ending my college education early was always the plan for me, but the things that I have been able to see, experience and examine about ACU’s community were not. I have found immense growth in ACU over the past three and a half years, but ACU still has a long road to climb if it wants to keep catering to students as the world changes around them." To read more of this article visit acuoptimist.com or click the link in our bio. #acu #abilenechristianuniversity #privatechristianuniversity #collegestudentopinion #acuopinion ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Optimist Newscast Feb. 28, 2024

Our top stories today include a recap of The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940, the ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 21, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 14, 2024
  • Optimist Newscast Jan. 24, 2024

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Policies
    • Advertising Policy
    • Letters to the Editor and Reader Comments
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
  • Multimedia
    • Videos
    • Photo Galleries
  • Features
  • Advertise
    • Paid Advertisement
  • Police Log

© 2025 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved