The inauguration of the new Luther College President will be a community affair

Luther College President Jenifer K. Ward will be inaugurated as the college's 11th president in a ceremony Saturday, November 2nd.

A weekend of events is planned to go with the inauguration ceremony--and many of those events are being created with community participation in mind, according to Inauguration Project Manager Karen Martin-Schramm.

Says Martin-Schramm, "We want the entire town to know they are welcome to attend the inauguration ceremony and related events...We are particularly excited about Dr. Ward's idea to have an 'Inaugural Night on the Town' on Friday, November 1st, rather than have some event on campus.  It is a great example of what she said to Rotary in August--'I want you to understand we are your college and you are our town.'"

Friday night is being set aside as a time for Inauguration guests, Regents, alumni, Luther students, faculty and staff to go downtown to eat, to visit shops that will open that evening, and to take in entertainment.

As part of the evening, Luther a capella groups will perform at Impact Coffee; the Courtyard and Cellar has booked live music by the Bigmouth Buffalo String Band; Vesterheim will offer free tours; and the Luther College ballroom/swing club will be offering dance lessons at Lingonberry.  Other ideas are being discussed and encouraged.

At 4:00 Sunday afternoon of the Inauguration weekend, there will be a joint performance by the Luther College Collegiate Chorale and the Decorah Chorale, with instrumentalists from the college and community.

For a complete Inauguration weekend schedule, click on the link below.