The Tradition

The inauguration of a university president is a ceremony that unites the forward-looking aspirations of a modern academic institution with ancient customs and traditions that trace their origins back to the earliest days of higher education. With its pomp and pageantry – much of it carried forward from the 12th and 13th centuries, when the first organized institutions of higher learning were founded in Europe – the inauguration is an important rite of passage in the life of a university. It is a time for the greater academic community to come together to honor the past, celebrate the present, and look boldly to the future.

At WPI, the tradition of presidential inaugurations began with the installation of its first president, Charles O. Thompson, on Nov. 11, 1868. That daylong event, filled with lengthy oration and ceremony, also included the dedication of WPI's first building, Boynton Hall. The inauguration and formal installation of Dennis D. Berkey, Ph.D., as WPI's 15th president will include some of the traditions established with that first ceremony 137 years ago: the president's inaugural address, participation by delegates from the greater academic community, and the presentation to the president of the symbols of his authority, including the university's original charter. On this page, you may learn about these and other traditional elements associated with the inaugural ceremony.

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Last modified: Jul 19, 2007, 13:08 EDT