This video, titled President Connie Ledoux Book’s First Day Welcome Speech, on March 1, 2018 in the Great Hall in the Global Neighborhood. She stated, “Thank you Dr. Williams and Kam. And Dr. Williams it just means the world for you to have done that introduction. And thanks to all of you for being here today. It is lovely for me to see all these familiar faces. I absolutely love this community. I understand the power of it. And I am going to my very best. 00:00:27 So I will start by saying that. Today is an opportunity for our community to come together, to pause and reflect on our proud history and our bright future. 00:00:44 Elon is a treasure. And it has been lovingly cared for and developed for more than one hundred and twenty-nine years. It is entrusted to us today by generations of people who believed in the power of human transformation. The essential work for developing the mind, body, and spirit of young men and woman who are committed to being a powerful influence of good in the world. I have been reading the remarkable history of Elon, its roots in providing opportunity where very little existed for men and virtually none for women. Elon’s founders believed in young people to shape the future. I ask you today and join me in thinking about the days, the weeks, and the years ahead—What do you want to accomplish in your professional and personal lives? What do you want to archive, collectively, in your family, in your community, and as part of the Elon community? Who will you become? 00:02:03 Together, we can make an impact in ways that no single individual can. Together, we can accomplish what is impossible, I absolutely believe what is impossible alone that we can do together. Together, we have the opportunity to build a university that keeps setting a higher standard. Together, well positioned to be a leading force in a world that cries out for smart, compassionate, creative, resilient, young men and women who designed the solutions to the challenges facing our communities around the globe. 00:02:46 Because Elon students and alumni make a difference around the world. We have Elon alumni here in North Carolina, Los Angeles, New York, Asia, Europe, South America, and Africa. I wanted to make sure that we included video messages from three young alumnus who send their hopes for Elon’s future from far away. 00:03:06 Three international alumni spoke on, what we (Elon) can do together. Jasmine Whaley, Class of 2013, is the Social Media Coordinator at The DO School in Germany. Carson Foushee, Class of 2007, Minister, Japan Baptist Convention. Lauren Salig, Class of 2017, Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Recipient. (Each student spoke on recorded video) 00:05:17 I have been thinking a lot of the things that are going to be on list in the future. In the months ahead, we will be continuing work with students, faculty, and staff well-being and mental health. We are thinking a lot about that today. I want us to make sure that we always continue to be a community that takes care of one-another. We must continue to increase resources for financial aid, to keep Elon as a multi-cultural community. That is on my mind today. We need to continue to expand our civic engagement. Our democracy needs our hard work, our informed voices, on the local, the state, and the national levels. That is on my mind today. 00:06:05 We also need to continue to think about the ways we advance our students to succeed in this rapidly evolving global economy. Our students and our university must be nimble, adaptable, and resilient as jobs in the workplace and education undergo fundamental changes. And I am going to need your help. 00:06:35 So I have a request of each of your today. I would like you to think carefully about the Elon that we will build together. And I ask you to write down your hopes and dreams for the future and describe the ways Elon should change and grow. Please write down your thoughts on the tables around the room and help us imagine the next chapter in Elon’s history. I want to read the aspirations that each of you write about and then we are going to gather these messages together in a special book, kept in Elon’s Archives, to show generations to come on this day, March 1, 2018 that we were a people with a vision, with ambition, and resolve. 00:07:30 First days are thrilling. And I am so proud to be with you in articulating these aspirations and dreams for our future. Moments like this provide us opportunities to see clearly – well beyond our horizons and imagine what we can be beyond. I know we have absolutely everything needed to succeed because we have been blessed and continue those blessings. But they come with responsibility and accountability. And we need to use our energy and our resources – wisely to the good. 00:08:18 So today, please take a moment and write down your aspirations and hopes for Elon’s future. And as we consider our growth as an institution and personally, I ask you to please join me out the north door and help dedicate a young (oak) sapling – one that will become a mighty oak. Because it is fitting that we begin this next chapter by planting a tree together. Connecting to the grove of oaks that inspired our founder’s pursuit in 1889 when this was just a grove of oaks. The vision then was articulated by President Long, “A college for the world.” When I think about that 1889 that was a long vision (Connie laughs). The White Oak that we plant today, like each of us in this room, this university that we love, will reach to the sky and grow stronger even as it is tested by the forces of nature that we are certain that lie ahead. Thank you.” 00:09:44 That audience gave President Book a standing ovation. 00:10:06 President Book continued by asking the audience to repeat with her… “One the count of three I would like all of us to join in saying Long Live Elon. One. Two. Three. LONG LIVE ELON.”