“In the heart of dear old Emory, where the sun doth shine, that is where our hearts are turning ‘round old Emory’s shrine.”

On Wednesday, September 22, the Sophomore Pinning Ceremony welcomed the Class of 2013 into the expansive Emory network of alumni. As Dooley Noted sang the Alma Mater, I couldn’t help but reminisce about my own undergraduate years at Emory.

Three years ago, I was a sophomore at Oxford College. I lived next door to my friends, a mere two-second, pop-my-head-around-the-door distance. Wednesday night, as an alumna and adviser to the Sophomore Pinning Committee, I watched Emory’s current sophomores sit next to each other, giggle, and listen to The Gathering and our three amazing speakers—Leah Lomotey-Nakon 08Ox 10C; Paul McLarty 63C 66L, president of the Emory Alumni Board; and Gary Hauk 91PhD, vice president and deputy to the president.

I silently giggled with glee when Leah stepped up to the podium. I have known her since freshmen year at Oxford. I and the rest of the audience laughed along with Leah as she talked about the responsibilities of the “real world.”

Next, McLarty welcomed the sophomores into the Emory alumni-hood. Finally, Hauk talked about the history of sophomores—the difference between freshmen and upperclassmen. Hauk ended his address with our school motto in Latin: "Cor Prudentis Possidebit Scientiam"—“The Wise Heart Seeks Knowledge.”

Co-hosted by the Emory Alumni Association and the Office of Residence Life and Housing, the Sophomore Pinning Ceremony marks Emory College sophomores’ official induction into the community of Emory alumni. The pinning ceremony is a relatively new addition to Emory’s long list of distinctive rituals and traditions, having begun in March 2006. The event honors students’ successful completion of two semesters at Emory.

After the ceremony, the Class of 2013 along with alumni, faculty, staff, administration, and other guests lined up to pile up plates of delicious food, including desserts like chocolate-covered strawberries.

I had no chance of getting one of those chocolate-covered strawberries. Luckily, there was plenty of cake decorated with the face of our lovely Emory pin.

The 250 sophomores with pins (including the two students above), 46 alumni, faculty, administration, staff, and I ate, laughed, talked, and mingled with one another for the rest of the lovely evening. I never got my pin as a sophomore but I got one that night and proudly pinned it on my dress. Congrats, Class of 2013, and welcome to the Emory alumni community.

--Eun S Lee 08Ox 10C, residence hall director-fellow, EAA.