Student Body President Welcomes New Students at Opening Convocation

At Eureka College’s Opening Convocation, Student Body President Elizabeth Wicks '26 delivered a powerful and personal message to the incoming class, encouraging them to embrace their unique journeys and the supportive community around them.

Wicks began by acknowledging her excitement and nerves as she addressed the student body, noting the honor of serving as Student Body President alongside Vice President Liv Hardin-Nieri. She highlighted one of Eureka’s long-standing traditions—comparing the college to an object in her opening remarks.

For Wicks, that object was a ball of yarn.

“My journey here has been anything but simple and linear,” she shared. “Throughout the past two years, I’ve been unraveling this ball of yarn, navigating newfound freedom, community, and knowledge. Every event, every person, is a thread that makes up a greater whole. Eureka College is many different threads interwoven with care and support, creating something strong, warm, and unique.”

Wicks was candid about the challenges she faced during her time at Eureka, reflecting on periods of personal struggle and how the campus community helped her through. From encouragement by her peers to run for Student Senate, to support from faculty during her first major research project, to friendships that she believes will last a lifetime—Wicks emphasized the strength she found in connection.

“I will forever be grateful for this community having faith in me, even when I had no faith in myself,” she said.

She encouraged new students to lean into their own “ball of yarn,” embracing both the tangles and the opportunities it brings.

“I challenge you, as you begin unraveling your yarn, to keep pulling. Even when the threads get tangled, when other threads come and go, and even when it feels like there’s nothing left to unwind—keep pulling.”

Wicks closed by reminding students that while their time at Eureka is limited, the choices they make will shape their experience into something meaningful. “It is my hope that our threads cross, and I look forward to welcoming each of you.”

Opening Convocation marks the beginning of a new academic year and serves as a reminder of the traditions, values, and community that define Eureka College. With messages like Wicks’, new and returning students alike are encouraged to embrace both the challenges and opportunities ahead, weaving their own threads into the rich tapestry of the Eureka experience.

Unedited, Full Message from Elizabeth:

"I want to begin by saying how excited (and nervous) I am to welcome you to campus & give some remarks. My name is Liz Wicks, and I have the great honor of serving as your Student Body President this year! I also want to take the time to introduce Liv Hardin-Nieri, a wonderful soul and my amazing Vice President.

As you will learn during your time here, there are many traditions this campus holds. Some are old, some are new, and to be honest, some are insanely odd. One tradition that I’ll share with you today is embedded in this very speech—I am to compare Eureka College to an object. Now, I once sat where you all are sitting right now: in a place I wasn’t familiar with, surrounded by people I didn’t know, and pretty exhausted from the events of Welcome Week. And I remember sitting there, listening to the Student Body President of that year, and thinking: “At least I’ll never have to do that.” But as you all can see, things have changed.

I have spent the entire summer stressing about it. Like those in my position before, I knew that I couldn’t just choose anything. The weight of carrying on this deeply rooted tradition rested on me, and it was my turn to evaluate just how much Eureka College meant to me. My journey here has been anything but linear.

I stayed on campus for my first year, and then I stayed off-campus the next year. The change was very sudden, and something that I hadn’t initially planned on doing. That year, I closed myself off, only concerned about the relationship I was in at the time. In that time, I became unrecognizable. I stopped hanging out with my friends, I wouldn’t visit my family, and every day posed new fights and new challenges. I went to class each day, and with every passing day my motivation withered away. No one knew. And when I finally decided that I had enough, I felt like I had nowhere to go and no one to turn to. I felt numb for months, emotionally checked out. I had been through a lot in the past too, and I felt powerless and embarrassed that I didn’t see the red flags sooner.

I tell you this because it’s important to note that everyone’s experience on this campus will be different; in fact, no two experiences are the same. However, through all of that, Eureka was there for me anyway. I went to class and people asked me how I was doing, even if I didn’t know them. During Student Senate meetings, I was encouraged to run for student body president by my peers, and I won. I presented my first big research project with the support of my professors, one of which I hadn’t met in person until after my presentation was over. I even made some new friendships and rekindled my old ones, and I am confident they will last a lifetime. I will forever be grateful for this community having faith in me, even when I had no faith in myself.

So, what on Earth could I possibly compare Eureka College to? A ball of yarn, obviously.

Remember how I said that my journey here has been anything but simple and linear? A ball of yarn is just that—it’s compact, simple, and familiar. I chose Eureka for this reason; I come from a high school just shy of 100 students, so a school of 600 seemed manageable to me. Choosing my major was simple, too. And this place is only about an hour from home, meaning I’m close to my family, but far enough that they won’t want to come out here to harass me every weekend. I still haven’t been able to escape these cornfields, but they provide that sense of familiarity.

Throughout the past two years, I’ve been unraveling this ball of yarn, navigating this newfound freedom, community, and knowledge. Every event, every person, is a thread that makes up a greater whole. Eureka College is many different threads interwoven with care and support, creating something strong, warm, and unique. Throughout my time here, the threads have become knotted, frayed, twisted, and tangled, but it’s become something beautiful and purposeful.

I challenge you, as you begin unraveling your yarn, to keep pulling. Even when the threads get tangled, other threads come and go, and even when it feels like there’s nothing left to unwind—keep pulling. Our time here is limited, much like how a ball of yarn isn’t infinite. But each choice we make is a pull on a thread, slowly revealing our paths forward.

Eureka College is one of many balls of yarn we untangle through our lives, but beginning today, it’s up to you to start letting it unwind, to knit or crochet it into something with meaning, something you’ll remember fondly. It is my hope that our threads cross, and I look forward to welcoming each of you."

-Elizabeth Wicks, Student Body President '26