A Light On The Hill
“We’re all a community of big
scholars thinking of big questions,” Dean John C. Allen, of the College of
Humanities and Social Sciences, stated while leaning forward at his desk with
his arms folded, smiling.
During Week of Welcome at Utah State University, the College of
Humanities and Social Sciences, or CHaSS, puts on an event called A Light On
The Hill, or as the members of the CHaSS like to call it, ‘Meeting The
Weirdos’. Allen laughed when he heard about the amount of backpack buttons and
T-shirts and pins that have been spotted with this title. Allen said that
five years ago, during his first convocation, he was explaining to the crowd
that A Light On The Hill was an opportunity to meet people different from them.
He said they needed to go out and meet the weirdos. What Allen didn’t realize,
and what many faculty members will still say they disagree with, was the fact
that this short saying would stick. The students loved it and ran with it.
A Light On The Hill is an event that invites anyone in the CHaSS
or any members of Utah State University to join for a night of reflection on
the school year ahead, to treat themselves to refreshments, and to meet new friends. The CHaSS invites
all clubs as well and when the event started five years ago, they only had a
small amount of clubs show up with an even smaller few that were able to get
people to sign up for their club. This year, between 25 and 30 clubs
participated with at least a full list of sign ups at each table.
A Light On The Hill takes place at the Amphitheater on Old Main
Hill toward the beginning of Week of Welcome each year. This year it was on
Tuesday, September 1, and went from 7 p.m. to about 8:30 p.m. It started with Allen
welcoming everyone by shooting the school’s military cannon. Refreshments and
mingling then lasted until about 7:45 p.m. when the convocation started. As
everyone arrived they were given a candle to light during the ceremony. Once
seated, military personnel and faculty members line the rows with already lit
candles. Allen then gave the OK and the members turned and lit the candles of
those sitting on the outside of the rows. That person then turned toward their
neighbor and lit their candle and so on until every candle was lit.
“With all of the lights slowly being lit and finally lighting
the area, it creates an atmosphere, an environment, that’s absolutely
beautiful,” said Allen with a smile on his face as he reflected on the memory. As
dean of the CHaSS, Allen has given the convocation each year. Tuesday was the
fifth time for him as he has been dean for six years. When he became dean, Allen wanted to start something that would move the students, faculty members,
and even the public to have the desire to become a part of something bigger. He
said that what they’re trying to pass on to the people is bigger than them. He
wanted this event to be so successful that it would eventually become a
tradition. Allen was able to proudly say that A Light On The Hill is
finally becoming a glorious tradition.
“The event will provide students
with a broader view of the college they are apart of and provide new students
an opportunity to meet others who share their passion for knowledge that is
found within the liberal arts,” said Allen. “My hope is that students and
faculty alike will join us to create and reinforce the community of scholars
that we are building within the college.” Each year before the convocation, a
professor gives a speech on different topics. Last year, Professor
Matthew LaPlante from the journalism department spoke and this year the speaker
was Professor Mark Damon from the history department.
USU is not the only university to
hold the event. For example, Tufts University in Boston holds the event each
year for incoming freshman and again when that class graduates. Allen said at
Utah State, the CHaSS wouldn’t be able to hold the event again when the
students graduate due to the large amount of people in the college. When Allen
participated in graduation his first year as dean, they provided a lot of
cookies for the students and their family members after the ceremony. He said
that that first year they had more cookies than students. But now they
definitely have more students than cookies. Allen’s wife is also very involved
in the college and at graduation she helps serve Aggie Ice Cream to the grads.
She told Allen last year that they ran out of ice cream within the first 20
minutes due to the large amount of people. They plan on being prepared for even
more numbers come this spring.
Allen
reflected on when they held the first event for A Light On The Hill and how
they only expected a few people to show up but more came than what was planned
for. Because of this, Allen had planned on no microphones or speakers and just
used his voice hoping the amphitheater would carry the sound. Since then they
have had to bring large speakers and have had to use a microphone to
accommodate the large crowds. Allen said because the numbers continue to grow,
they may have to move locations in a few years which, because of the tradition
and sentimental feelings towards the amphitheater, would be very sad.
More information can be found by
contacting Natalie Archibald at Natalie.archibald@usu.edu or (435) 797-2796 or Dean
John C. Allen at john.allen@usu.edu or (435)
797-1195.
"A Light On The
Hill." University Calendars. 1 Aug. 2015. Web.
<https://www.usu.edu/calendar/?id=59102>.
Humanities and Social
Sciences Hosts Annual 'A Light on the Hill' (2012, August 16). Retrieved from
http://www.usu.edu/today/index.cfm?id=51516
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