Keuka College officially kicked off the new academic year with its annual Academic Convocation, welcoming a class of about 330 new students during a celebratory ceremony on August 22 in Norton Chapel.
The event capped a week of orientation activities and brought together students, faculty, alumni, trustees, and community members to affirm the college’s values and support students beginning their college journey.
Each student received an acorn pin — a symbol of growth and potential that reflects the college’s motto: “From an acorn, the oak.”
“For 135 years, the acorn has symbolized Keuka College’s commitment to growth, potential, and enduring strength,” said President Amy Storey. “Every Keuka College student carries within them the capacity to achieve great things — with the right nurturing and support.”
Dr. Klaudia Lorinczova, Professor of Education and the College’s 2025 Professor of the Year, delivered a keynote address blending humor, inspiration, and even a bit of Gen Z slang.
“In the next few weeks, you’ll test out whether leaving your family and coming to this campus was a sigma move (faculty, that means ‘a good decision’) or Ohio (that means ‘a bad or cringe move’),” Lorinczova said to a mix of laughs and nods from the crowd.
Student Senate President Jasmine Downs ’26 and sophomore Gianna Spartano, a criminal justice major and Emerging Wolf Award winner, also spoke, encouraging new students to lean into growth, ask for help, and find community.
Board Chair Dr. Twyla J. Cummings wished the class well, noting, “May your time at Keuka College be marked by discovery, growth, and unforgettable experiences.”
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