Alabama State University President Quinton T. Ross Jr., Ed.D., said to the Class of 2029, “Welcome home! You are a part of Hornet Nation,” as he opened the annual Rites of Passage ceremony on Sunday, Aug. 10.
The event, held at ASU Stadium, marked the official beginning of the college journey for about 1,000 new freshmen and transfer students, symbolizing their transition into the Hornet family.
Though the program began about 30 minutes later than scheduled, leaving some students frustrated after being warned not to arrive at the ceremony late, the delay did little to dampen their excitement. Once underway, the ceremony blended tradition, faith and motivation, charging students to carry the legacy of Hornet Nation forward.
Ross paid homage to the parents, grandparents and guardians who helped guide students to this milestone. He reminded students that they had not arrived at this moment alone, emphasizing the many people who had “poured” time, energy, and resources into their success. Drawing from Jeremiah 29:11 and Malachi 3:10, he urged students to recognize both the blessings poured into them and their responsibility to pour into others during their time at the university.
“God has a plan for each one of you,” he said. “See if you do that, God will pour you out a blessing.”
Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Malinda W. Swoope, Ph.D., delivered a powerful message to the Class of 2029.
“It is your season,” Swoope said. “Footsteps and the words of our ancestors are the sounds calling your name. It is the sound of every Hornet that came before you. Marching, studying, grinding, breaking barriers, making history, and now, those footsteps have stopped right here at ASU’s new Hornet Stadium. They are passing you the baton.”
She reminded students that their presence at the university is not by chance but by sacrifice.
“Someone fought for you. Someone prayed for you. Someone sacrificed for you. Someone believed in you when you did not believe in yourself,” she said. “Today, in this moment, you get to decide if their fight, their sacrifice, was worth it.”
For many, her words hit home.
Freshman Tiara Edwards said, “Goals are everything, and I need to follow mine.”
Jada Clark, a freshman from Clayton County, Georgia, appreciated the inclusion of God in the ceremony and urged students to move forward. “New Hornets, do not give up.”
Swoope, calling the event a celebration of transition from high school to college, described it as a contract signing between students and their destiny.
“This is the day you step onto the on-ramp of what we are going to call your Hornet Dash,” she said. “You are going to decide how fast, how far and how fierce you are going to run it.”
Swoope asked the freshmen to rise and introduced them to the Hornet Creed, officially welcoming them into the Hornet family. Swoope charged the Class of 2029 to be fearless in learning, to not run from hard classes or challenges, and to be intentional in building relationships.
Freshman Erin Roger described the event as “well thought through,” praising university leaders as embodiments of Black excellence.
Members of the university’s volleyball team reflected on the ceremony as a bonding moment, from the pinning ritual to reciting the Hornet Creed, and offered a rallying cry: “Stay hungry. Never get full.”
Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management/Student Success Ronda Westry, Ed.D., shared the same sentiment of the spirit of transformation.
“This is more than just a ceremony. It is a crossing. A sacred moment of transformation,” she said. “It will give you two gifts: a chance and a choice. A chance to rise, to explore and become. A chance to live a life with purpose.”
Freddie Williams Jr., Ed.D., assistant vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management/Admissions and Recruitment, reminded students that their place at the university was earned.
“You are not at ASU by accident,” Williams said. “You are here because you have earned it. You are ready. Your story matters.”
Williams closed the ceremony by formally transitioning leadership to the university’s faculty and staff.
“It has been a joy and a privilege to recruit, admit, orient and welcome you to Alabama State University,” he said. “Today, I formally passed the torch of the Fall 2029 incoming class to the faculty and staff of Alabama State University.”
