THE INAUGURATION OF PAMELA TROTMAN REID, PH.D.
Even the torrential rain could not dampen spirits at the Inauguration of President Pamela Trotman Reid on September 26. As Archbishop Henry Mansell noted at the start of the ceremony, “Water is the universal symbol of rebirth, renewal and regeneration. The abundance of water today is a symbol of all the good that is to come under President Reid’s tenure.” Indeed, the good will of the day supported his assessment. A Color Guard, composed of military students and staff, withstood the weather to raise the flags and launch the Inaugural ceremony. Accompanied by trumpet players from Yale University’s Brass Ensemble, Saint Joseph College students, Trustees, faculty, and staff, along with representatives from the state, and delegates from other colleges and universities, processed into The Connor Chapel of Our Lady. Together, they ushered in the woman who was to be installed as the College’s eighth president.
The trumpet players provided a moment of pomp as President Reid entered the Chapel and stood on the altar flanked by Vice President and Dean of Faculty Dr. Billye Auclair, Chair of the Board of Trustees Jeanne Merola, and Archbishop Henry Mansell. The event combined elements of high ceremony with moments of collegial interaction. Interludes included musical selections by the SJC Choir (directed by Michael-Thomas Gilman), a solo by Rafael Cotto and a sonnet performed by members of The Queenes Companye. Friends and colleagues from President Reid’s life shared stories, offered good wishes and confirmed the College’s wisdom in its selection. Representatives from state and local government offered their greetings and members of the College community presented gifts and words of welcome.
Dr. Sylvia Hurtado, director of the Higher Education Research Institute in the Graduate School of Education and Information Sciences at UCLA, offered a national perspective when she presented Saint Joseph College as a model for higher education in the 21st century. Noting the College’s advantages in the areas of diversity, value-centered leadership and mission, she described President Reid as being the ideal match for the institution. “Under her leadership, Saint Joseph College will expand new dimensions of growth,” Dr. Hurtado said.
Jeanne Merola, chair of the Board of Trustees led the moment of Investiture. After placing the presidential medal around President Reid’s neck, she said, “I speak on behalf of the entire College community when I offer you our warmest welcome and best wishes as you prepare to lead Saint Joseph College, ever mindful of its rich history and traditions, dedicated to its Mercy mission, and steadfast in your commitment to the total education of all students.”
President Reid began her Inaugural Address thanking the College community, along with her family and friends for the encouragement she has received thus far in her tenure. She also credited the leaders who came before her, the past presidents who built the College’s strong foundation. President Reid spoke of the College’s rich history, its present challenges and her commitment to its firm presence in an evolving world.
“Today, I commit myself, my intellect, my energies, and my full enthusiasm to work with and for the Saint Joseph College community,” she pledged. “I hereby promise to sustain the commitment of the Founding Sisters to this community and this mission and to build our academic capabilities, our reputation, and our resources.”