Welcome Class of 2024! Baruch College Hosts Virtual Convocation

August 26, 2020

More than 2,100 first-year students were warmly welcomed to Baruch College with its traditional Convocation ceremony—this year a virtual event—on August 25. This celebratory occasion marks the launch of the students’ academic career at Baruch, and their induction into the entire campus community.

Baruch President S. David Wu provided welcoming remarks and Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs James McCarthy also addressed the students.

The keynote speaker was Weissman School of Arts and Sciences Professor Bridgett Davis, author of the nationally acclaimed memoir The World According to Fannie Davis: My Mother’s Life in The Detroit Numbers, which is the first-year text for the Fall 2020 semester. The memoir, set in the 1960s during the time of race riots, recounts the story of how Davis’ mother, Fannie Mae, achieved her personal American Dream via the numbers business as a way to provide a better life for her family.

At the conclusion of the virtual event, Baruch’s Bearcat Commitment was introduced by Vice President and Dean of Students Art King, who then inducted the first-year students into the Class of 2024.

President Wu: “We Begin our Baruch Journey Together”

To open his remarks, President Wu said, “I am excited to welcome all of you, the Class of 2024. We are the newest Bearcats. You see I have a special connection with this class. You coming in as first-year students, and I’m starting as Baruch’s eighth president.

“We begin our Baruch journey together during a challenging time. COVID-19 has turned our city and world upside down, and many in our community are suffering from a major economic fallout,” continued President Wu. “But challenging times also bring tremendous opportunities. You are coming to the right place, however, because Baruch is known to be a trailblazer and we will be in a position to lead. You will also be able to help bring New York City back from the wreckage of Covid-19 and shape its future.”

President Wu added, “As Baruch students, you will be taught and inspired by faculty members who are leaders and top scholars in their fields, supported by outstanding career counselors who care about your future, and mentored by some of the most successful and inspiring people who happen to be your alumni and our business partners. Your experience as a Bearcat will be different from generations who came before you, but I assure you it will be transformative.”

Meet the Diverse Class of 2024

The Fall 2020 first-year students hail from 578 different high schools throughout New York, the country, and the world.

California, Texas, North Carolina, and Michigan are just a few of the states represented, in addition to New York and the city’s five boroughs. Several countries add to the global and cultural diversity of the Class of 2024, including Argentina, Egypt, Haiti, India, Italy, Vietnam, and Taiwan, “where I came from,” noted President Wu, who arrived in New York 40 years ago as an international student.

“Your experience as a Bearcat will be different from generations who came before you, but I assure you it will be transformative,” stated President Wu. “Stay active, stay connected, and stay safe. I look forward to watching and sharing your journey ahead.”

Special Events Continue

As part of welcoming the Class of 2024, Baruch is hosting a variety of fun and networking virtual events. See schedule here.

New Student and Family Programs

The New Student and Family Programs (NSFP) office organized Convocation 2020 in conjunction with the Division of Student Affairs. The NSFP office serves as a resource for newly enrolled undergraduates—both first-year and transfer students—focusing on creating a smooth transition for them and their families.

Check out NSFP’s website for more information about programs and support services.

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