Trudel challenges students to engage and explore like a traveler

Published: September 03, 2024

Author: Dave Bell

As Greenville University students returned to campus and prepared to settle into a new year, Dr. Jeannie Trudel greeted them with a challenge.

At the August 26 Convocation service, the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Development asked students whether they were approaching their college experience as a “tourist” or as a “traveler.” That decision, she said, will determine what they will take away from their college years.

“The major difference between a tourist and a traveler is in how they approach the act of leaving home and venturing out into the world,” Trudel told a packed house in Whitlock Music Center on the opening day of classes. “Tourists want to be catered to, entertained, and check off iconic sights while traveling in comfort.

“Conversely, travelers want to explore, to learn, to engage the world around them, and to revel in the moment as they explore new places. They also understand that the most memorable and impactful experiences often happen outside their comfort zones.

“How are you thinking about college?” she asked the students. “Are you just checking lists and checking out, like a tourist? Instead, I invite you to be a traveler – to be present, to explore, to learn. As God said in Isaiah 43:19, ‘Behold, I am doing a new thing!’ Won’t you embrace that new thing by immersing yourself in it and experiencing all that God has in store for you this year?”

Also on the program of the 2024 Convocation service were President Suzanne Davis (pictured above), Chaplain Keli Pennington, and Greenville Student Government Association President Makenna Hintz. The service included two hymns (“Great Is Thy Faithfulness” and “Be Thou My Vision”), with vocal leadership by Professor Grace Denton and piano accompaniment by Professor John LeTellier. The GU faculty (pictured below) also participated in the program.