AURORA - Spirits were high as 150 new “red shirt” freshmen filed into Macmillan Hall at the 142nd Opening Convocation of Wells College Thursday night.

Russell Posegate, lecturer in music, performed the academic processional as faculty assumed places in the audience. Wells' inclusion of male students has increased to about 40 percent of its student body.

The Rev. Robert H. French, college chaplain, said coming together was an appropriate way to start the academic year.

“Understanding, knowledge, and wise action can only be learned from other people,” he said. “If you seek, you will find; if you ask, you will receive, and doors will be opened for those who knock.”

Wells President Lisa Marsh Ryerson officially opened the academic year, and welcomed the “sea of red shirts,” the Class of 2013.

She also welcomed back the Class of 2010.

“You look marvelous,” she said, referring to the senior class donning-their official black robes for the first time along with sunglasses, a tradition whose origin is lost,

While Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Leslie Miller-Brand introduced the faculty and reviewed awards conferred on students, she presented a new award, the Phi Beta Kappa First-Year Book Award to two freshmen from the previous year with 4.0 grade point averages.

Ryerson addressed the students, stressing the importance of a liberal arts education as the platform for an education for a lifetime.

“Lives must be fully explored to be fully lived,” she told them. “Though your paths may be different, your journeys will be similar,” she said, citing strength in complexity and difference.

“The world needs liberally-educated leaders to champion and advocate for health, education and a more just world,” she said. She charged them with the responsibility to solve problems.

A few students seated in the sophomore section were enthusiastic about Wells and expressed diverse interests.

Sophomore Melissa Ross, 19, from Jamaica, N.Y., is majoring in computer science, but she envisions herself studying culinary arts or joining the Peace Corps. Melissa believes she was fated to attend Wells. She had applied in her junior year of high school but didn't get a response, but the day she was going to mail applications to two other schools, her acceptance was delivered.

Rene Benda, 18, of Scipio, is studying anthropology and religion. She came to Wells because her mother was a graduate and loved it.

Rob Werbos, 20, of Marton, N.J, is a psychology major interested in clinical therapy. He hopes to practice in a hospital, working with developmental issues. Werbos said Wells caught his attention when he went to Hobart's lacrosse camp and heard about the new Wells programs.

“I liked the idea of starting in a new program,” he said. “My first ethics class only had seven kids, You can't beat that for an education.”

Tyler Edwards, 18, of Kettery Point, Maine, a business major, hopes to open a restaurant with a brewery pub some day. Edwards was interested in playing soccer at Wells.

“I fell in love with Wells when I came here,” he said, and the soccer idea took a back seat to his other interests there.

The students filed out of the auditorium holding candles, which they lighted outside during the passing of the flame ceremony around the circular drive in front of Macmillan.

They sang the alma mater, extinguished their candles, and the senior class, some shedding gowns, others in full dress, jumped into Cayuga Lake for good luck.

Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net