As President Rebecca S. Chopp prepares to depart Colgate and the Chenango Valley after seven years, nostalgia has officially set in.

"I walk out of my office and everything is blooming, and the gardens are turning pink and yellow, and white, and I think, why am I leaving this place?" Chopp said in a recent video interview with geography professor Ellen Kraly. "Living here is such a joy."

Note: The following is President Rebecca S. Chopp's prepared remarks to the Class of 2009.

Graduates - congratulations!

Today is a graduation - recognizing hard work and achievement in the classroom, the laboratory, the studio, the stage, and the athletic field.

Colgate University President Rebecca Chopp has announced the appointment of Scott Habes as director of the university's Picker Art Gallery.

As director, Habes will provide vision and artistic direction for the gallery, taking the lead in shaping its role in the visual arts and education on campus and the Central New York region.

Colgate University President Rebecca S. Chopp has been awarded the 2008 Professional Achievement Citation from her alma mater, the University of Chicago.

The alumni citation honors Chopp for being a "pivotal figure in the field of higher education and a renowned scholar of religion and culture."

Note: The following is President Rebecca S. Chopp's prepared remarks to the Class of 2008.

On this day of joy and celebration, let us begin by thanking those who have made this occasion possible. Every graduate who walks across this stage is supported by many here at Colgate and at home who have worked hard to ensure the opportunities our students have enjoyed.

The family members and friends here today -- and waiting at home -- have made it possible for you to flourish. Join me in thanking your parents, grandparents, and other family members and friends who have supported your education in so many ways.

Thank you!