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Office of the President

Inauguration Ceremony

On October 4, the University celebrated the inauguration of Sarah C. Mangelsdorf as Rochester’s 11th president. View details about the ceremony and read President Mangelsdorf’s prepared remarks.

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President Mangelsdorf’s inauguration remarks

“Distinguished guests, university delegates, colleagues, friends, and family. Thank you all for being here. I am deeply honored by your presence and inspired by the words and music we have heard today.

“Before I begin, I would also like to acknowledge two people who are not here today, but who would have loved to have been: my parents, who instilled in me the values of the academy and who encouraged and nurtured my sense of intellectual curiosity. My father was the Marshal of the commencement ceremonies at Swarthmore College for many years. He loved the pomp and circumstance of academic ceremonies and thus he would have loved this ceremony. Both my parents would also have loved the beauty of this historic theater and the wonderful music we have heard today.

“Given that this is a presidential inauguration, I thought I might take the time allotted to me to reflect with you on the role of the university president, and, more importantly, the role of the university today and in the future.”

Read the full remarks

Ceremony: Speakers and performances

Invocation

Rev. Dr. Denise Yarbrough

Director of Religious and Spiritual Life

Words of welcome

Rev. Dr. Denise Yarbrough

Director of Religious and Spiritual Life

Anne Nofziger

Co-Chair, University Advisory Committee for the Presidential Search;
Associate Professor, Family Medicine;
Advisory Dean and Primary Care Clerkship Director, School of Medicine and Dentistry;
Co-Director of Dean’s Teaching Fellowship Program

From the students: Jamal Holtz ’20 

President, Students’ Association

From the staff: Ashley Campbell ’09, ’10W (MS)

Manager of User Security and Data Integrity, Office of Human Resources

From the faculty: Chunkit Fung

Faculty Senate Co-Chair;
Associate Professor, Departments of Medicine and Public Health, School of Medicine and Dentistry, Wilmot Cancer Institute

From the community: Wade S. Norwood ’85 

CEO, Common Ground Health;
At-Large Member, Board of Regents, New York State Department of Education

From the alumni : Cathy E. Minehan ’68

Member, Board of Trustees;
Co-Chair, Presidential Search Committee

Performances

Musical prelude, procession, recession, and postlude

Performed by Eastman Brass: James Thompson, trumpet; Douglas Prosser ’94E, trumpet; W. Peter Kurau ’74E, horn; Larry Zalkind, trombone; Donald Harry, tuba;

Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14, Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943)

Jamal J. Rossi ’87E (DMA), saxophone
Joan and Martin Messinger Dean, Eastman School of Music

Toni-Marie Montgomery, piano
Dean, Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University

The Pathway, Jeff Beal ’85E (b. 1963) 

Commissioned by the University of Rochester for the Ying Quartet in celebration of Sarah Mangelsdorf’s Inauguration. Performed by the Ying Quartet: Robin Scott, violin; Janet Ying ’92E, violin; Phillip Ying ’91E, ’92E (MM), viola; David Ying ’92E (DMA), cello

Alma Mater: The Genesee

Led by members of After Hours, Midnight Ramblers, PASApella, Trebellious, YellowJackets, and Vocal Point.

Investiture

Richard B. Handler ’83

Chair, Board of Trustees;
Member, Presidential Search Committee

Inauguration coverage

Additional coverage of the inauguration ceremony, symposium, and Meliora Weekend events will be posted on the inauguration website and the University’s Newscenter.