Jaguars Sing, Shuffle to Kick Off the Academic Year

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Posted on August 15, 2022

Thomas Becnel

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First-year students at the University of South Alabama marched through the Mitchell Center on Monday morning for a pep rally, class photo and Convocation that turned into a line-dancing party.

The red, white and blue scene featured the Jaguar Marching Band, sports teams and cheerleaders. New Jaguars learned the school fight song, while many raised their left hands to throw their first J.

President Jo Bonner offered three pieces of advice for the Class of 2026.

鈥淭he first one, and it sounds obvious, is you have to go to class,鈥� Bonner said. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 go to class, you鈥檙e going to fall behind. The second thing is you鈥檝e got to ask for help if you need it. It鈥檚 not a sign of weakness. It鈥檚 something we all go through. The last thing is something you鈥檙e going to hear a lot, and that is you鈥檝e got to get involved. There鈥檚 so much to do here, but it takes a little gumption on your part to get started.鈥�

After several speakers and 鈥淔ight Song 101,鈥� led by Dr. Will Peterson, director of bands, the first-year students got a live music surprise that started with an advertisement for JagTran buses.

New shuttle buses on campus sport musical themes such as 鈥淏usta Move,鈥� 鈥淟et the Good Times Roll鈥� and 鈥淐upid Shuttle.鈥�

That last pun caught the eye of Bryson Bernard, the Louisiana songwriter who goes by the name of Cupid, and is most famous for the 鈥淐upid Shuffle,鈥� a 2007 hit that is now a wedding and prom standard. Fast forward to Monday, when Cupid closed Convocation by leading the crowd in the 鈥淐upid Shuffle鈥� and a new song, 鈥淔lex,鈥� with cheerleaders and Prowlers dancing behind him and freshmen gathered in front of the stage.

Students walked out of the Mitchell Center with a bounce to their step.  

鈥淚 love that Cupid came,鈥� said Niemah Purdy, a first-year student from Gulfport, Mississippi. 鈥淣ow I鈥檓 hyped.鈥�

For Convocation, lots of students wore red, white and blue T-shirts that said 鈥淕o Jags,鈥� 鈥淪OUTHBOUND鈥� and 鈥淒estination South.鈥� Others wore souvenir shirts promoting WOW 鈥� Week of Welcome events on campus.

Activities include a movie night, Get on Board Day, First Year Council open house, a step show, sorority and fraternity recruitment and a large block party. Convocation, part of Week of Welcome, welcomes new students and faculty with the goal of encouraging involvement to support academic success. 

Michael Scott Pierce, a senior ambassador in the Southerners program, wore their traditional red sport coat to Convocation. He handed out buttons that said 鈥淚 Belong Because Together We Are South Strong.鈥�

Like others, he feels a post-pandemic change in mood.

鈥淓veryone鈥檚 excited for the new year,鈥� Pierce said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of good vibes with the students. It feels like a new school. Rebirth. Like we鈥檙e pioneers.鈥�

Michael Reynolds, a freshman from Lucedale, Mississippi, is a mechanical engineering student. On Monday, he wore a red Honors College T-shirt that said 鈥淭he Light That Comes When You Connect The Dots.鈥� One of the perks of the college is moving to campus a week early and attending an orientation and retreat.

Reynolds doesn鈥檛 have a car, so he鈥檚 had to rely on the hospitality of South Alabama.

鈥淎 lot of people here are really nice,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been able to get rides everywhere I need to go.鈥�

Alysia Martin, a first-year student from Mobile, plans to study nursing. She鈥檚 living in Camellia Hall. Her roommate is from Pennsylvania.

Family members helped her move on campus last weekend. They didn鈥檛 have any advice, but they did offer good wishes.

鈥淏e great,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淢ake us proud of you.鈥�

During Convocation, Student Government Association President Camille Bonura welcomed first-year students to the South family.

鈥淲e鈥檙e all on this journey together,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n this room will be your very best friends. On this campus is where your very best stories will be made. This week marks a new chapter in your life, but this one is different. It鈥檚 a chapter with a blank page. Now you鈥檒l be the author. You have the opportunity to choose the direction of your story. You get to navigate your journey at South.鈥�

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