I wanted to take this opportunity to tell the student body the student body of an incredible opportunity happening at Northern Kentucky University; that is FreshFusion on Wednesday, August 29, 2007 at Loch Norse at 5:15pm. FreshFusion is a tradition on campus welcoming the freshman class to NKU and introducing them to student life at NKU. For those of you who are freshman the experience begins in Regents hall at 4pm. For those of you who are not freshman and not involved, I encourage you to attend the events around Loch Norse and see how to get involved.

This year FreshFusion welcomes students to a Las Vegas style theme. I can assure you however that getting involved is not a gamble, it is an investment; an investment in yourself, your university and your community. I encourage all students to take advantage of meeting the student organizations at NKU. They all have diverse offerings from community service to social interaction.

It is proven that those students who get involved are more likely to graduate. In fact, 4 out of every 5 students who get involved graduate earning a degree. Those whom earn a bachelors degree earn over a million dollars more over their lifetime than those without a one. These are facts that cannot be ignored.

My personal involvement has shown me the warm heart at the core of the concrete exterior of NKU. If it were not for my involvement, I would have never met so many amazing people, some of which I will carry beyond the concrete walls of Northern; from university administrators, to faculty/staff, to my fraternity brothers, all of these people have made my college experience one that is irreplaceable, memorable and invaluable.

That is the mission that I give to all the students who have not taken the opportunity to get involved. I challenge you to take the next step in your college career, find an outlet to be you. There are several ways to do this, almost 200 in fact. They include campus leadership, greek life, special interest organizations, political organizations, sports clubs, athletics, social service, academics and spiritual support. Somewhere out there is your niche on campus. Why go from parking lot, to class, to parking lot. Take the time to see Northern for what it really is, an amazing place full of heart and soul that will nurture you into the world. Success is in your hands. Some might see getting involved to be a gamble, if that is true, then I am sure that it is a gamble that has a high return and one that I would definitely take.

On behalf of the Student Government Association, I welcome everyone to the new NKU. Times have changed; the campus is changing and it is only getting better. Today SGA encourages you to get involved, find out how great Northern really is, and somewhere along your collegiate journey you will learn how great you really are.

With Norse Pride,

Gabe Cronon Vice President of Student Involvement Student Government Association