Inauguration to celebrate university’s new leader

Georgia College & State University will celebrate the inauguration of President Dorothy Leland as the school’s 10th president during Inauguration Week, Nov. 5-12. The theme of the week is “Traditions and Transformations.”

Leland said the theme of the week will be evident in the events that are planned.

“Since inaugurations are a fact of our existence in American higher education, particularly in our system, I determined early on to do what other presidents have increasingly done, and that is to use the event to showcase the progress and accomplishments of their institutions, to celebrate the partnerships that make their institutions successful, and to honor and thank their many external stakeholders,” said Leland in an open letter to the University community on Oct. 21.

Throughout the week, events will be held to show the academic excellence of the university, raise money for student scholarships, and celebrate President Leland’s inauguration.

The week will begin with an old-fashioned sock hop for faculty and staff on Friday, Nov. 5.

“There will be music from every era and for every taste, and I’m told that the floor in the Centennial Center will be protected so that we need not remove our shoes unless we want to show off our wild sock selections!” said Leland.

The Bobcat Ramble will come next, a road race/walk where proceeds from entry fees will go to provide scholarships for GC&SU students from Baldwin County.

Founders Day will occur on Monday, Nov. 8. Harold Mock, president of the GC&SU History Club, explained the history behind this event.

“The Founders Day Ceremony (as it is currently called) is actually a resurrected GC&SU tradition. It began in 1926 following the death of former Georgia State College for Women president Dr. Marvin M. Parks,” Mock said. “On Nov. 29, Park’s birthday, hundreds of students and faculty walked silently from front campus down South Liberty Street to Memory Hill Cemetery. There, the students placed wreaths on the graves of the first president, Dr. J. Harris Chappell, and on that of the second, Dr. Marvin M. Parks.”

Mock said GC&SU’s History Club has revived this tradition.

“In honor of GC&SU’s 2004 Alumni Weekend, the History Club (founded in 1926) revived this ceremony to recognize all of the university’s deceased presidents. Conveniently, they are all buried in Milledgeville’s Memory Hill Cemetery,” said Mock.

The Founders Day Ceremony will begin in the Old Governor’s Mansion at noon.

“Following an address by President Leland, [those attending] will walk to the graves of former GC&SU presidents,” said Mock.

Also on Monday, the Museum and Archives of Georgia Education will open “Traditions and Transformations at Georgia College” and two senior art exhibits will also open in Blackbridge Gallery later that day. Field Day, at the intramural fields on West Campus complete with food and games for students, is also Monday.

Tuesday, Nov. 9 there will be a roundtable discussion of Election 2004 in the library, as well as the opening of the GC&SU Natural History Museum, which will feature artifacts from the college’s large fossil collection. Later that evening, an Arts Unlimted Town & Gown performance will feature J.R.’s Band Express with Rita Graham.

Wednesday, Nov. 9 is the Day of Service, organized by students and the G.I.V.E. Center.

“[This is] and opportunity for students, faculty and staff to volunteer in service projects around town,” said Leland.

At 4 p.m. Wednesday, Dr. Helen Matthews Lewis will give the first Distinguished Alumni Lecture in the A&S Auditorium.

Thursday, Nov. 10 brings the presentation of “Continuities and Change” by a panel of longtime faculty members and the opening performance by GC&SU’s Theatre Department of Museum.

Friday, Nov. 12 at 11 a.m. is the investiture ceremony. Guests are asked to be seated by 10:45 a.m. A reception will follow the event afterward in the Library Atrium.

“The ceremony begins with a procession of faculty, senior administrators, delegates of other institutions and learned societies, and the platform party,” said Leland. “In addition to the ceremonial features of this event, I also have the opportunity to speak from the heart, in the presence of all of you and some of our state’s other leaders, on the importance of liberal arts education and my vision for this model of learning at Georgia College in the 21st century.”

The week will conclude with an invitation only, black-tie fundraiser for the major donors to the restoration of the Old Governor’s Mansion.

“This event will benefit a fund for presidential scholars to keep Georgia’s best and brightest students at home, providing merit-based scholarships for recruiting high-ability students who would formerly have gone out of state in their pursuit of a liberal arts degree of the caliber that we offer,” said Leland. “The event also offers an early look at the restored Mansion prior to the official opening in February 2005. At that time, every detail will be in place, and there will be multiple opportunities for the university community to enjoy very special events in this magnificent building.”

Leland and Mock both encouraged students to attend as many Inauguration Week events as possible.

“It is an incredible opportunity to be a student during the inaugural festivities for a new university president,” said Mock. “I believe that the theme of “Traditions and Transformations” is ideal for our time and situation. I am looking forward to the Inaugural Week.”

“You [the GC&SU community] are the source of our success as an institution. I hope that you will find these events meaningful. I look forward to seeing you at as many of them as possible,” Leland said. “Inauguration Week really is a time for you to pause and celebrate the significant achievements of your institution, its traditions and transformations.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 29 2004. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry