Dr. Willie Champion, dean of chapel and campus ministry, leads the invocation to open annual Fall Convocation exercises on Wednesday at Texas College in Tyler. Andrew D. Brosig/Tyler Morning Telegraph

During fall convocation on Wednesday, Texas College President Dr. Dwight J. Fennell recalled the founding history of the 121-year-old institution, pointed out recent advances in facilities and spoke on the theme, “expanding the future, renew, refresh and restore.”

Fennell addressed students, faculty and staff gathered at Gus F. Taylor Gymnasium and said the staff and faculty’s responsibility at the college at the start of every new academic year is to renew, refresh and restore.

Everyone should consider what they want to achieve this year and if students leave the campus with the same attitude they came with, it’s a waste of time and purpose, he said.

“In today’s society, we are not challenged by the things that are in our present, but rather we are challenged by the things that are in our future,” Fennell said.

Often, people are overwhelmed by the practical matters of the workday, but students should realize their strategy ought to be to plan their future and design what they want to become, he said.

“Students during this period in your life and in spite of your age, in spite of your history, in spite of your background, in spite of your personal experience and beliefs, now is the time to see yourself into your future. You cannot move into your future and what God has for you while trying to attain the past,” Fennell said.

He reiterated, “You can’t plow forward while (looking) at all the things behind you.”

Fennell advised students to keep in the forefront of their thoughts the high demand for talented, well prepared professionals. They will have to exude and articulate and show all the necessary skills, he said.

“The world is changing, and we must change with it,” Fennell said, urging students to take advantage of learning opportunities to be prepared and be able to demonstrate the application of knowledge.

Texas College and all historically black colleges and universities are challenged to consider new ideas, new programs and the direction that will lead to greater opportunities for students, Fennell said.

“We must help students understand that the age that is before them is called the Internet of Things Age,” Fennell said.

The new concept revolves around a move from the information age – preparing students to understand the new age of communication whereby the process of a liberal arts education does have meaning, but learning has to be incorporated with machine communication, Fennell said.

“Our students should be taught from a liberal arts perspective how to evaluate, how to gather data and how to communicate the results in a fashion that it can be used in the world of work,” Fennell said.