Tradition and legacy, pomp and circumstance, met and melded on Sunday, April 6, when hundreds of students, faculty, and staff celebrated the inauguration of Dr. Maurie McInnis as Yale University’s 24th president.
YSN faculty and Dean Azita Emami joined the official academic procession that began at the Law School and included deans, tenured faculty, and representatives from educational institutions worldwide, reflecting the standing and stature of Yale as an enduring seat of learning and inquiry.
A second procession comprised of university leadership including former Yale presidents Peter Salovey and Richard Levin, departed from the nave of Sterling Memorial Library. In a symbolic and powerful moment, the two groups met at Cross Campus and McInnis moved from the faculty group to join the leadership group.
“Leading any university is a rare gift,” said McInnis in remarks delivered to those assembled at Woolsey Hall, where she sat in the Wainscot Chair that once belonged to Yale’s first president, Rev. Abraham Pierson. “Leading Yale is an honor without parallel.”
The Sunday inauguration was the culmination of a weeklong celebration that included panels and presentations at schools and departments throughout the Yale campus. YSN hosted a two-day open house that provided an opportunity for campus and community visitors to see how the latest simulation technology is being deployed to educate the next generation of advanced practice nurses and midwives.
“I was proud to be part of such a momentous and significant event in Yale’s history,” said Dean Emami. “Maurie McInnis has the vision, capability, and commitment needed to lead this university through the challenges it faces. She sees not just what is, but also what can and should be.”
Other YSN activities during the inauguration week included visiting and welcoming local and global partners who will help shape the future of nursing education and research. A delegation from Korea University and New York City Health and Hospitals/Elmhurst toured YSN’s state-of-the-art Simulation Center; and YSN senior leaders visited Haven Free Clinic where YSN students provide care and services alongside YSPH and YSP students in a completely volunteer-run clinic.
YSN participants included YSN procession pole bearer Sam Mensah, and Associate Dean for Impact Christine Rodriguez, who was on the inauguration steering committee.
In her remarks, McInnis said that, “Throughout our history: We have endured. Together with our home city of New Haven, we have weathered the storms of every moment.