 Good afternoon, dignitaries, parents of NCCEM, fellow student by the president of NCCEM and their friend of mine, Sam Skinner, and to the NCCEM students present today. My name is Steven Ramirez Serrano, and it is my honor to be here on Zoom on a pre-recorded video with you today. It is my pleasure to stand up here from the screen and see all the faces of the people that I have met in my time at NCCEM and to see the new faces of the people that I will meet in the following days and weeks as we all embark together on the journey that this academic year will be. There is truly no other place I would rather be, except for sleeping in the comfort of my bed, of course. I would like to thank you all for making the best of the awful situation that the storm was and enjoying the time with your friends and making campus as lively as you could be. This is hopefully the most memorable congregation NCCEM will have in your succumb. Thank you, Steven, for that beautiful introduction. I'm so happy to be with you today. Hello, everyone, I'm Seven Skinner. For those of you who are coming back or just starting your NCCEM experience, I'm so excited to welcome you all to our school. I'd like to start by saying how proud I am of the incoming junior class across both campuses and the online program. You all have accepted the greater challenge and have taken the next step towards a bright and successful future. I know that right now, everything might seem scary, nerve-wracking and unknown, but you all are starting the next step of your life in a beautiful community that will do anything to help you reach your fullest potential. This academic year is one that will be full of first divers. We're the first classes to have communication in person since the COVID-19 pandemic started. We're the first classes to have full enrollment marketing campus. We will be the first classes in over a decade to experience the major multi-year construction project. We're the first classes that we'll be able to enjoy a fully renovated PFM. The class of 2024 is also the first one to be applying to college without affirmative action. As a result of the spring course recent, students prepare admissions versus Harvard decision. To put it simply, we're the first classes to have to navigate a variety of complicated situations. When challenges like these arise, we need to make use of our community. For me, the best part of this school is not the food, academics, extracurricular activities or the donors, but the community that we're all a part of. To face all the challenges that this year will bring, you will need to rely on your support system to get through it all. Whether you're strong with adjusting to residential life, strong with mental health, having difficulties with your workload or classes, wanting to run a club or needing to use someone's security to brew that coffee to get you through the day, you must reach out to your support group. It is made up of your friends, classmates, hallmates, R.A.C.C.'s, teachers, supervisors, counselors, families, and everyone else that you trust. As Stephen had said, community is the most important thing here at NCSSM. I'd like to express my gratitude for this year's senior class. We've all pushed each other to be the best versions of ourselves. In the span of a year, I've watched my peers grow from antsy kids only just beginning to find themselves into beautiful young adults preparing for the next stage of life. I know many of us seniors can say that last year was the best year of our lives, and I encourage you all to share that experience with the class of 2025. Part of our mission at NCSSM is to learn how to lead things better than we found them. Right now, that means using our remaining time year to not only grow ourselves, but also foster an environment that promotes others' growth as well and leave a legacy that we can be proud of. Become leaders that are underclassmen are eager to ask for help and guidance. Reaching out may be a scary thing to do at first, and you might think that it is a sign of weakness, but the country being able to meet that unique help and have the courage to seek help from others is one of the biggest signs of strength that you can show. We're all humans, and by a number of biological, psychological, and physical factors, humans cannot positively do anything under on. Nations, languages, celebrations, and fields of study companies and everything that has ever been worth it wasn't built by someone who was too prideful to confide in others in times of need. I am not here to paint everything as Pinky Roses. It is very likely that at one point of your experience at NCSSM, you will struggle as you never have before. But what I promise to you is that if you reach out to your support group on these hard moments, it will pass and you will come out as the person that you were before. In Morganton, we've worked hard to start our campus' legacy. While staying true to the legacy of our institution. There have been a couple of bumps on the road, but I'm very proud of the groundwork we've set. But much like the buildings on our campus, there is still so much to do, even after we've gone. Through rigorous courses and campus construction, we've built an incredibly strong and resilient community. We've been able to field athletics teams in 15 sports, create clubs and organizations around 43 distinct areas of interest, and participate in academic competitions ranging from environmental robotics. I can't wait to see what we can do this year. The biggest advice I have for incoming juniors across both campuses is go outside of your comfort zone. I know many of you know exactly what you want to do after your time here, but some of the best experiences I've had here have come from joining a club that doesn't sound like me or running for a position that I never imagined myself in. This is an opportunity to have college-level experiences but with a safety net. Indulgent opportunities like clubs, sports, classes, and J-term courses. One of the coolest things about this school is that you don't have to constantly worry about getting ahead. We all work to push each other forward. This year has a lot to serve for everyone, and I am personally very excited to see how everyone will flourish and excel this year. I have been so fortunate to become a member of NCSSM Morganton's inaugural class and represent you all as the Morganton Campus' Student Buddy President. I think one of the most valuable things we gain at NCSSM is this network of lifelong friendships and contacts. I know that no matter the field or the part of the world where my path leads me, I'll always be able to connect with someone from NCSSM. Not only should you invest time in academics, but also take the time to get to know the beautiful individuals that surround you. Thank you.