New Student Convocation

Since 2007, the New Student Convocation has been an annual celebration of learning, collaboratively planned by Student Affairs and Academic Affairs for the new students entering CSUN each fall. This event serves as a formal welcome extended to the entering class by the President, administration and campus community. This program has been one of the primary mainstays of the university’s welcome programs signaling the start of each academic year. Join us Thursday, September 30th at 6pm for this year's special occasion.

History

This program is distinguished by its past keynote speakers and by its recognition by the campus receiving the CSUN Team Award in 2008 which noted the campus-wide collaboration and involvement required to plan and to execute the event annually.

YEAR	KEYNOTE SPEAKER	FRESHMAN COMMON READING BOOK
2007	Robert F. Kennedy Jr.	*The Things They Carried* by Tim O’Brien
2008	Barbara Ehrenreich	*Nickel and Dimed* by Barbara Ehrenreich
2009	Steve Lopez	*The Soloist* by Steve Lopez
2010	Holly Robinson-Peete	The Curious incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
2011	Jeannette Walls	*The Glass Castle* by Jeannette Walls
2012	Chitra Divakaruni	*One Amazing Thing* by Chitra Divakaruni
2013	Edward Humes	*Garbology* by Edward Humes
2014	Drew Magary	*The Postmortal* by Drew Magary
2015	David Levithan	Every Day by David Levithan
2016	Jon Ronson	So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson
2017	Bree Newsome	Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
2018	Nicole Maines & Wayne Maines	Becoming Nicole by Amy Ellis Nutt
2019	Lauren Markham	The Far Away Brothers by Lauren Markham
2021	Patrisse Cullors	*When They Call You A Terrorist* by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele

Past New Student Convocations

2021 New Student Convocation

Thursday, Sep. 30, 2021
6 p.m. - Zoom Webinar
Keynote Speaker - Patrisse Cullors
Video Link: 2021 New Student Convocation

2020 New Student Convocation

Thursday, Sep. 17, 2020
6 p.m. - Zoom Webinar
Video Link: 2020 New Student Convocation

2019 New Student Convocation

Thursday, Sep. 12, 2019
6 p.m. - Oviatt Library lawn
Keynote Speaker - Lauren Markham
Video Link: 2019 New Student Convocation

2018 New Student Convocation

Thursday, Sep. 13, 2018
6 p.m. - Oviatt Library lawn
Keynote Speaker - Nicole Maines
Video Link: 2018 Freshman Convocation

*this video is not captioned, but will be very soon and we apologize for this inconvenience*

2017 Freshman Convocation

Thursday, Sep. 14, 2017
6 p.m. - Oviatt Library lawn
Keynote Speaker - Bree Newsome
Video Link: 2017 Freshman Convocation

2016 Freshman Convocation

Thursday, Sep. 15, 2016
6 p.m. - Oviatt Library lawn
Keynote Speaker - Jon Ronson
Author of So You've Been Publicly Shamed - the Freshman Common Reading for 2016
Video Link: 2016 Freshman Convocation

2015 Freshman Convocation

Thursday, Sep. 10, 2015
6 p.m. - Oviatt Library lawn
Keynote Speaker - David Levithan
Author of Every Day - the Freshman Common Reading for 2015
Video Link: 2015 Freshman Convocation

2014 Freshman Convocation

Thursday, Sep. 4, 2014
6 p.m. - Oviatt Library lawn
Keynote Speaker - Drew Magary
Author of The Postmortal - the Freshman Common Reading for 2014
Video Link: 2014 Freshman Convocation

2013 Freshman Convocation

Thursday, Sep. 12, 2013
6 p.m. - Oviatt Library lawn
Keynote Speaker - Edward Humes
Author of Garbology - the Freshman Common Reading for 2013
Video link: 2013 Freshman Convocation

2012 Freshman Convocation

Thursday, Sep. 6, 2012
6 p.m. - Oviatt Library lawn
Keynote Speaker - Chitra Divakaruni
Author of One Amazing Thing - the Freshman Common Reading for 2012
Video link: 2012 Freshman Convocation

2011 Freshman Convocation

Thursday, Sep. 8, 2011
6:00pm - Oviatt Library lawn
Keynote Speaker - Jeannette Walls
Author of The Glass Castle – the Freshman Common Reading for 2011-2012
Video link: 2011 Freshman Convocation

2010 Freshman Convocation

Thursday, Sep. 2, 2010
6:00pm - Oviatt Library lawn
Keynote Speaker - Holly Robinson Peete
Actress, Author, Activist & Philanthropist
Video: 2010 Freshman Convocation

2009 Freshman Convocation

Thursday, Sep. 3, 2009
6 p.m. - Oviatt Library lawn
Keynote Speaker - Steve Lopez
Author of The Soloist - the Freshman Common Reading for 2009-2010
Video link: 2009 Freshman Convocation

2008 Freshman Convocation

Thursday, Sep. 4, 2008
6 p.m. - Oviatt Library lawn
Keynote Speaker - Barbara Ehrenreich
Author of Nickel and Dimed
Video link: 2008 Freshman Convocation

Alma Mater Music

Hail to the Matadors

By Richard Kaufman

Hail to all the Matadors 

And to our school so dear.

As we move along the road of life,

let us keep from doubt or fear,

For the knowledge which we find here,

for all who urge us on. 

The spirit of the red and white 

Will brighten every dawn.

Where the sun is shining 

And where truth leaves an open door, 

to honor Strong and Courage Tall

We hail our Matador!

You may listen or download the MP3 file below:

To download the MP3 to your computer, right click on the following link, CSUN Alma Mater Music, and choose "save link as" to save to your computer.

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Freshman Common Reading

The 2021-2022 Freshman Common Reading book is When They Call You A Terrorist' by Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele. When They Call You a Terrorist is Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele’s reflection on humanity. It is an empowering account of survival, strength and resilience and a call to action to change the culture that declares innocent Black life expendable.

Click here for more information on the book and CSUN's Freshman Common Reading.