IU Northwest welcomes incoming freshmen during annual RedHawk Induction Ceremony

Indiana University (IU) Northwest celebrated the start of the semester and the start of the incoming freshmen’s academic careers during the university’s annual RedHawk Induction ceremony on Tuesday, August 25.

Students filed into the second-floor theater of IU Northwest’s Arts & Sciences Building, where they were greeted by older students, as well as professors robed in their commencement attire, adding to the air of importance surrounding the event.

Several speakers took the stage, including IU Northwest Chancellor Arrick Jackson and Natalie Vega-Finn, the university’s Director of Academic Advising, to address incoming freshmen about what to expect as IU Northwest students.

Vega-Finn shared her own experiences at IU Northwest as both a student and a counselor during the program. She drew parallels between her experiences and what incoming students will face, providing them with relatable advice on how to handle acclimating to student life.

“As an undergraduate student, just like you, I walked in some of the same halls that you will walk in, sat in some of the same classrooms that you will be sitting in, and met with professors, some of whom are still here at IU Northwest after all these years. All that is to say that my journey, while decades apart, is in fact quite similar to yours,” Vega-Finn said. “Today, when I think about IU Northwest, I don’t just think about it as a campus or a workplace. It’s a community, a family, and a place that’s shaped who I am in ways that I couldn’t have imagined.”

Molly Dolatowski, a student in IU Northwest’s Class of 2028, spoke to the new wave of freshmen honestly about her early struggles as a student and how isolating this transitory period of one’s life can be. She emphasized how to overcome these struggles through community and the importance of connecting with students and faculty on campus.

“I started my college journey feeling very alone,” Dolatowski said. “After an extra-long summer with my friends, everyone suddenly left for big colleges across the country. Going from having people always by my side to having almost no one felt like everything was changing too fast. I went to class, sat silently, made no effort to meet anyone, and repeated that routine in all of my classes.”

Dolatowski continued to follow this isolating pattern until she took a class with Dr. Charles Hobson, IU Northwest School of Business and Economics professor, that encouraged her to connect with her peers. From there, Dolatowski’s community continued to grow.

“The class wasn’t just lectures; it was a space where people connected. It was in that environment that I met Christy, who is now one of my closest friends,” Dolatowski said. “Christy invited me to join a student organization called Public Relations Student Society of America. I hesitated, but I showed up to a meeting and somehow ended up becoming vice president.”

Dolatowski hopes her own experiences will encourage new students to step out of their comfort zone to make new friends and become involved in campus life.

The induction concluded with a pinning ceremony and the singing of Indiana University’s alma mater song, “Hail to Old IU.” Students were then led to the campus’s common area, where free cupcakes and Kona Ice were handed out while students socialized and got to know each other.

An exotic animal tent was also set up on campus, allowing students to hold snakes, foxes and other animals in a controlled environment. This was a particular hit amongst all attendees, with many wanting their picture taken with the animals.

IU Northwest’s annual RedHawk Induction ceremony shows the school’s commitment to community. It can be difficult to organize a speaker lineup, provide free concessions and put together other attractions, but it is well worth it. Events like the induction ceremony are how a college is built into a community.

For more information on Indiana University Northwest, visit northwest.iu.edu.