Welcome to Your New College Family

At the beginning of every academic year, new Berea College students and their families attend our Ceremony of Dedication, where parents send off their children to a new, exciting chapter of their lives. In our parting ceremony, incoming first-year students walk away from their parents and through the Berea College poles over to faculty waiting to cheer them on in welcome. It’s one of my favorite events because this is where you get to see up close the emotion of the moment, the tears of pride, of joy, and the twinges of sadness that come with a rite of passage steeped in love and hope for the future. Here are some photos from this weekend’s ceremony that capture these moments beautifully.