Event purpose: The Freshman Convocation is an annual celebration of learning for all new freshman and transfer students. A collaboration between the Divisions of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs, the event connects the concepts of in-classroom and out-of-classroom learning by focusing on the Freshman Common Reading. The Freshman Convocation committee will first seek to have the book’s author serve as the keynote speaker. It is also intended as a formal welcome extended to the class by the President, administration and campus community.
Event structure: The New Student orientation leaders guide the freshman class on a symbolic journey that attempts to unify the class and teach them the campus symbols and rituals. The freshman class is assembled in Matador Square and led down Matador Walk to the Oviatt Library Lawn by a processional of Associate Deans, faculty and student leaders. The campus executives and Deans await the students at the top of the Oviatt Library steps which serve as a symbolic ascent to the campus center of learning at the programs conclusion.
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 |
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
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!
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