Welcome from Student Senate President Zane Francescato

by Zane Francescato

Fellow Bulldogs,

Welcome back to your home away from home! And to our new students, welcome to the best close-knit Christian community a college can offer! I would also like to welcome all new faculty and staff members to our campus. I hope you find our students and campus beyond your expectations.

As many of you already know, I am your Student Senate president for this academic year. For you newer students, this means that I am your eyes, ears and voice to our administration, faculty and the student body.

With the dawn of the new school year, I would like to remind everyone of a few of the things Student Senate accomplished in the past years, such as the installation of the patio stereo system and the basketball hoop in front of David Hall. However, there is still a lot to accomplish.

In order to make this possible, we need your help! Our Senate officers want to hear your input and ideas. We also want you to take an active part in our weekly Tuesday meetings at 6:15 p.m. in TLEC Auditorium as a Student Senator.

There is one thing that I have noticed during my two terms as a Senator: the lack of communication and interaction between the Senate and students. In order to fix this problem, starting the first day of school, I will have open office hours for students to come in and voice their ideas, concerns and complaints. I will post the hours that I will be in office on the Senate Office door as well as on bulletin boards around campus.

One of the biggest advantages of coming to Concordia is that we have a small, close-knit Christian community that is ready to serve and support those who need it. New students, adjusting to college life can be hard, but homesickness and being overwhelmed are normal signs of adjusting to a new life. I guarantee there will be times where it all seems too much, but keep in mind that you have a community of professors, administrators and fellow classmates who are here to help you grow and prepare for the life God has given to you.

If at any point this year you see a student sitting alone in the cafeteria, sit next to them, get to know them. If you see a student having a bad day, try to cheer them up. Encourage one another to take advantage of the opportunities that the campus will offer through the course of the year, and never forget to have fun—these are the best years of your life!

New students, I pray that you are ready to take on this new life and that you learn more about yourselves spiritually and mentally. To the entire campus, I pray for an easy start to the new year and that God blesses your school year, helps you to grow in his love and leads you to make lifelong connections, memories and, of course, friendships!

In Christ,

Zane Francescato

Student Senate President