When Susan Martin first took the Pease Auditorium stage
for her inauguration, she clasped her hands
together enthusiastically and smiled with great hope, realizing
the opportunity before her as Eastern Michigan University's
22nd president and its first female president.
 |
HER SHINING MOMENT: Susan Martin, Eastern
Michigan University's 22nd president and its first
female president, raises her arms and is all smiles
after receiving the President's Medallion from EMU
Regent Chair Tom Sidlik (above, left) during her
inauguration
at Pease Auditorium Nov. 20. During
her inaugural
speech, Martin spoke of the
challenges before EMU
and the opportunities that
await. |
During her inauguration speech, entitled, appropriately
enough, "Opportunity," Martin spoke of the challenges that
lay before EMU, but with a confidence that the university's
strong foundation and commitment to education will be assets
in a world, nation and state that are in the flux of what
she termed "a major paradigm shift."
"Such changes deeply and dramatically challenge the way
we experience, think about and understand the world," Martin
said to a packed house, with many in the crowd standing
in the back, during the Nov. 20 ceremony. "And yet, along
with these sweeping changes comes great opportunity: opportunity
for dramatic impact; opportunity for revolutionary new
ways of teaching and learning; opportunity for innovation,
for renewed energy, and for whole new ways of looking at
the world."
Pointing to its academic excellence, depth and breadth
of its programs and disciplines, general education core
and plans to expand the sciences, math and technology,
Martin said EMU was strongly positioned to make a difference
in this time of transformation.
"This institution puts education first and it shows in
everything we do. We are committed to students' success," said
Martin, who drew rousing applause for that comment.
She described the university as "nimble" in developing
courses and its ability to adapt to changing market demands,
pointing out that employers often comment that EMU graduates "hit
the ground running" when they embark on their first job
out of school.
Diversity, collaborative partnerships with community colleges
throughout Michigan; EMU serving as a natural complement
to the research-driven University of Michigan; EMU's ability
to cater to nontraditional students; and the fact that
90 percent of students hail from Michigan are all strengths
Martin touched upon.
Mentioning that EMU will launch a comprehensive fundraising
campaign next year, Martin stressed the importance of EMU's
alumni base of more than 142,000, with 105,000 living in
Michigan, as a major branch of support to the university'
well being and the state's economy. Martin peppered her
conversation with stories about EMU graduates Rodney Slater,
the former Department of Transportation secretary in the
Clinton administration, and 99-year-old "Red" Simmons,
who ran in the 1932 Olympics and often raced against the
legendary Jesse Owens.
"Eastern has always been a college of opportunity. But
now, at this time and this place in our history, we feel
an energizing sense of forward momentum," Martin said. "Our
mission is simple: harness that momentum. Fuel it. Run
with it. I see opportunity and hope all around us.
 |
FOR YOUR MEMORIES: Regina Royan, director
of
political action for EMU's Student Leader Group,
makes a presentation of a card with good
wishes to EMU President Susan
Martin at her
inaugural reception. |
"Eastern can and must be a driving force for the change
our state needs right now. A university known for teaching
teachers is now ideally suited to educate those who will
be tomorrow's innovators and leaders."
Martin's message and tone was met with enthusiastic applause
and a standing ovation that included several of Martin's
family members, friends and longtime colleagues and mentors
from other institutions of higher learning, including the
University of Michigan-Dearborn and Grand Valley State
University, which sent a busload of well-wishers. While
sitting patiently to give her speech at the podium, Martin
would often glance over at her family members and beam
with pride.
The festive air included the ROTC Color Guard, the Parade
of Nations (in which students carried the flag of their
country), a musical tribute by professors of music Glenda
Kirkland and Garik Pedersen, and a piano performance provided
by EMU music student John Bodgan. A highlight of the ceremony
was when Thomas Sidlik, chair of the Board of Regents,
placed the President's Medallion around Martin's neck.
It is tradition for EMU's president to wear the medallion
at honor convocations, commencements and ceremonial occasions.
For the first time, EMU's presidential inauguration was
streamed live on the Web. The streaming received approximately
840 hits, according to Rhonda DeLong, director of Web Communications.
At its peak, 128 persons were watching the live stream
at one particular time, said Steve Martin, the radio and
TV engineer in communications, media and theatre arts,
who oversaw the Web stream.
After Martin's inaugural speech, a reception took place
in the Student Center Grand Ballroom, where multitudes
of faculty, staff and students offered their heartfelt
congratulations, participated in a toast to Martin and
enjoyed roast beef sandwiches, seafood salad, hummus, guacamole,
curry chicken, panini sandwiches, gazpacho, fresh fruit,
cookies, pastries, punch and water.
What folks had to say
During the reception, a number of EMU faculty, staff and
students took time to comment on Martin's inauguration
speech and their hopes for EMU's future.
"I just thought it was important for me to come
because I'm a student leader," said senior Ashley Nelson,
who sits on the national Pan-Hellenic Council and is vice
president of Zeta Phi Beta. "She is the first female president
here. I don't think a lot of my fellow students realize
she (Martin) is making history."
"She definitely gave me a reassurance of the pride I have
in this university," said EMU senior David Shackelford,
a history major. "I will be staying for graduate
school. I wanted to see how well this is going to go."
"The world's changed. I think she's trying to let faculty
and staff know how to be successful, that we have to ask
for outside help," said Ron Miller, acting vice president
for the EMU Foundation. "The state is not funding higher
education like it used to. So, we have to go outside. If
the top leadership shows it, you live by example. She's
willing to do that."
"I thought the ceremony was unbelievably beautiful in
its simplicity," said Bert Greene, an emeritus professor
of teacher education. "Her speech reflected the times that
we are in, the difficulties we face and the energy, she
correctly reads, that is on this campus."
Raouf Hanna, professor and department head of economics,
views Martin as "the model of a president."
"She has a road to success in mind. I think she will succeed," he
said. "It's a breath of fresh air to see someone take the
lead. She makes decisions quickly, but carefully. She
believes in what she says and she appreciates the help
(she's given)."
"The main expectation, I think, is that she is
going to be here a long time. It's very uplifting," said
Claudia Petrescu, department head of political science. "Finally,
we are on the right track."
