Sunday evening, members of the Class of 2018 were welcomed to UVM with a colorful university tradition. Wearing bright shirts in hues corresponding to their residence halls, students gathered at Patrick Gymnasium for a convocation ceremony, marking the start of a new academic year, then processed down Main Street to the University Green for the annual Twilight Induction Ceremony, where they join the university community and pledge to uphold its values.

Scroll through photos of the evening:

From Redstone campus, students from Christie, Wright, Patterson and Simpson halls walk to the gym.

University Heights South arrives at Patrick Gymnasium.

The event's four speakers, President Tom Sullivan, Provost David Rosowsky, Faculty Senate president Julie Roberts, and UVM Board of Trustees member Frank Cioffi stressed the great academic opportunities available to the incoming class at UVM, but didn't ignore the role the university can play in career preparation. 

President Sullivan singled out for special attention UVM's new Four-Year Career Plan, which he urged students to  investigate.

“As you begin college this week here at the university, your future destiny rests in your hands," he said. "If you want to succeed in a career, start now. Use the UVM Four-Year Plan for Career Success to make each one of your four years transformative and productive and successful for you. Discuss it with your advisor, and of course your parents, too. And the R.A. and all of the colleagues that you can, because we want you to begin to align those magical, wonderful, inspiring career plans with your academic plans through this four-year plan concept.”

Convocation adjourned, students march toward the University Green.

Taiko drummers set the beat for the procession.

Along the walk, alumni welcome the new students.

Once at the Green, students form a circle.

Students light each others' candles for the Twilight Induction Ceremony.

Reading the Twilight Induction Ceremony Plege, students commit themselves to maintain a supportive environment for all people at the university and to confront situations of injustice and prejudice.

Closing out their induction to the UVM community, students sign their names to the pledge.

(Photos: Sally McCay, UVM Photo)