College honoring its past and celebrating its future for President Susan Traverso’s inauguration

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College, a leading liberal arts college in northwest Pennsylvania, will celebrate the inauguration of the 20th President of Thiel College, Susan Traverso, Ph.D., at 2 p.m. Friday, May 5, 2017 in the William A. Passavant Memorial Center.

“As Chair of the Board of Trustees it is both an honor and a pleasure to announce the formal inauguration of Thiel College’s 20th President, Susan Traverso,” Chair of the Board of Trustees Barry Stamm, M.D. ’70 said. “Our community is excited to celebrate the close of our sesquicentennial year while looking toward our future.”

Former president of Elizabethtown College Theodore E. Long, Ph.D., will attend and deliver a few remarks and introduce Traverso. Delegates from regional colleges and universities will participate in the procession for the ceremony.

The theme of Traverso’s keynote speech will be, “honoring the past, celebrating the future.” Traverso was announced last May as the College’s first female president, being unanimously selected by the Thiel College Board of Trustees for her prolific career in higher education, significant achievements in leadership, and fundraising accomplishments at Elizabethtown College and other institutions.

In her first year, she has overseen the completion of the Thiel 2016 Campaign—raising $65 million, the largest fundraising campaign in school history—as well as the implementation of a new strategic plan and development of new programs designed to engage first-year students. She also broke ground on a $4.5 million, 7,850-square-foot “Science Connector” expansion that is scheduled to be completed this summer together with a new track and field facility.

“We are committed to continuing the momentum of the recent successful comprehensive campaign and have no doubt that under President Traverso’s leadership we will continue to achieve new accomplishments and successes,” Stamm said. “I look forward to continuing to work with her for the betterment of Thiel College.”

The day’s activities will also include an inaugural chapel service at 11 a.m. in the David Johnson Memorial Chapel. Valparaiso University President Mark A. Heckler, Ph.D., will deliver comments during the service highlighting the values of Lutheran higher education.

A reception will be held at 3:30 p.m. on the Howard Miller Student Center terrace and campus lawn.

• Read more about the inauguration and installation of President Traverso.

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