Emory Report homepage  

September 2, 2008
Soundbites

Parents welcomed at orientation
President Jim Wagner welcomed to campus the parents of a highly selective and diverse freshman class of 2010 in an Orientation Weekend address.

“We’re proud to have you join the Emory family,” Wagner said, “and please know that we are doing our best to ensure that you are proud to welcome Emory into your family.”

“Emory is a place that understands that some of the most important things that we do happen outside of the classroom. We understand that wisdom comes from experiencing independence and the consequences of choices; that education is as much about gaining insight as it is about information; it’s a much about gaining wisdom as it is about gaining knowledge.” — Kim Urquhart

Stars shine at planetarium show
As the planetarium’s 35-foot domed ceiling filled with stars, teaching affiliate Alex Langoussis led freshman and their parents on a tour through what he calls “the changeless, ever-changing sky.”

“There are a lot of bright things to look at in the summer sky,” he said, manipulating the Zeiss Skymaster ZKP3 star projector to simulate the view from Emory.

“All the stars that we see in the nighttime sky are much brighter than the average star. I always like to say that these are Emory stars, because what you see up there are the best and the brightest,” quipped Langoussis, himself a parent of an Emory freshman. — Kim Urquhart

Comic skewers race, class and college
“I want to first thank the rich, white people for having me,” began comedian Roy Wood Jr., setting the tone for a raucous performance at Glenn Memorial during freshman orientation. Wood, who has appeared on national TV as a guest of David Letterman and Craig Ferguson, kept the freshmen laughing.

“The only thing worse than making an F is sitting next to someone who made a good grade who’s unhappy about it,” Wood said. “Oh! A 93! My scholarship is in jeopardy! What’d you get?”

“An 11.”

“An 11! What are you going to do with an 11?”

“Roll it up and smoke it, probably.” — Carol Clark