University President Dr. Robert Fisher addressed students and faculty at Belmont’s Opening Convocation event Wednesday with a speech highlighting Belmont’s growth and community impact.
The university has made a concentrated effort toward growth with the Vision 2020 plan, and it is well on its way to meeting those goals.
There are 8,318 students enrolled at the university this fall, and 1,600 freshmen make up the largest freshman class in Belmont history.
110 students from the O’More College of Design have also joined the Belmont community this fall, along with three new majors in fashion merchandising, fashion design and graphic design.
“Those numbers tell a story, and they’re a big part of our story, but more important than those numbers is the foundation that we build on our faith. That tells people who we are and who we aspire to be,” Fisher said.
He also reminded the audience of Belmont’s commitment to loving people and challenging students to learn from those who are different from them.
“At a time in our world when shouting and anger and insults seem to be the norm, we as people of the academy and people of faith need to lean in and listen to one another, to show mutual respect, and do our best to gain different perspectives, even when we don’t agree.”
Fisher ended his speech by showing a picture of Belmont’s newest project, a performing arts center which will be completed in the fall of 2021.
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This article written by Bronte Lebo. Video produced by Caitlin Alexander and Cole Abshier.