Freshman gathered at the RBC Center Monday night for Wolfpack Welcome Week’s convocation.

Da Chen, a Chinese author who wrote the summer reading book Sounds of the River, spoke to the crowd and encouraged them to aim high in their careers.

“Never say to yourself, ‘I want to make a living,’ but ‘I want to change the world,'” he said.

Will Upchurch, a freshman in management, said Chen seemed “like he cares about the University.”

Chen compared his youth in China to Americans’ lives, and said the students should think about what their actions, even simple ones like buying clothes.

“You are more than old enough to work in a sweat shop [making shoes],” he said.

Hope Coleman-Toye, a freshman in animal science, said Chen was “funny and inspiring” and that reading his book helped make his speech meaningful.