[brass ensemble playing]
[Sarah Mangelsdorf] I stand before you as a university president, but I'm also a professor, and
the daughter, and granddaughter, as well as the spouse of professors. To me there
are few more important and enduring societal institutions than the
university, especially those like the University of Rochester where research,
teaching, engagement with this city, this region, the nation, and the world are of
primary importance. And there's no greater privilege or responsibility than
to lead such an essential institution.
[saxophone and piano except from "Vocalise"]
[Cathy Minehan] This is a great day for the University. We welcome Sarah as our new president.
We also welcome her as our first woman president.
[applause]
As everybody has mentioned more than once, this is all about Meliora, but I have to
say it doesn't get much better than this. [Richard Handler] I am honored to officially declare that
you are president of the University of Rochester.
[applause]
[Sarah Mangelsdorf] What we teach and what our students learn may not always result in a product,
or a prize, or some tangible result. The payoff is in the cultivation of a
well-informed critical thinker and citizen of the world.
Rochester's focus on research places us among the country's elite institutions
of higher learning. As president I will focus on supporting and sustaining
research at every level because it is through the knowledge derived from
research that we fulfill our mission to make the world ever better. [Jamal Holtz] I have to say,
I have been so impressed with the way that our president has engaged with
students in her first three months. Her leadership has already inspired trust
and confidence in the idea that our University should be a place where all
students are welcome. Her leadership makes us optimistic and even
better it makes us hopeful.
[String quartet music]
[Sarah Mangelsdorf] I believe the University of Rochester is truly blessed with a vast diversity of
ideas, backgrounds, and beliefs. I believe those diversities enhance our
life experience, sharpen our thinking, and make us better and more empathetic
citizens of the world. As president, I will be particularly attentive to issues
of equity and inclusion, and I will do everything I can to make sure that every
student, faculty, and staff member at the University of Rochester feels welcomed
and included. [Wade Norwood] I have been blessed to come to love the University and to be loved
by this family of scholars. And so I welcome you, President Mangelsdorf.
I welcome you in that spirit of love, with a genuine desire to see how you will
make your mark on the story of my family, and to affirm that this institution
remains a 21st century Underground Railroad community, committed to the idea
that everyone must have a fair chance to succeed and to go as high and as far as
their talent, their willingness to work, and their struggle can carry them.
[applause]
[brass ensemble playing]
[Sarah Mangelsdorf] Gone are the days of the ivory tower. Today's university is and must be
engaged with its community. Without a vibrant Rochester, the University cannot
thrive. As president, I will continue in the footsteps of my predecessors and make
community engagement a priority. Thank you for the opportunity to lead this
great institution into the future.