The welcoming of a new chancellor and a new president allowed the Dean College campus an opportunity for festivities that extended beyond the October 14th Installation Ceremony.

The celebration began on Thursday, October 13 with an afternoon salon moderated by President Elmore on the topic of “Discovering and Re-Discovering Mesopotamia,” featuring leaders in higher education to engage the community in meaningful dialogue. 

Dr. Gregory Ellison II, associate professor of pastoral care and counseling at Emory University and founder of Fearless Dialogues, discussed his work in creating meaningful, shared experiences and heartfelt conversations. Ellison encouraged the audience to relate to other people “soul to soul, rather than role to role,” and that when it comes to having hard conversations, that “if you ask the right questions, even the most resistant people will feel something moving in them.” 

Dr. Rob Lawson, professor of history at Dean and managing editor of the New England Journal of History, reflected on his book “Jim Crow’s Counterculture: The Blues and Black Southerners, 1890-1945” and the idea of music as resistance and accommodation. Lawson explained that music can not only find a common ground between those who don’t have similar life experiences, but it can also take on different meanings based on those life experiences. “Different people can listen to the same track and it has a different outcome,” he said. 

Dr. Keith Magee, chair and professor of practice of social justice at Newcastle University and senior fellow in culture and justice at University College London, spoke about the journey to end racism in our lifetime. He emphasized that an obstacle to change is often known as cathedral syndrome, or building towards something you won’t see the completion of. “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” he remarked, “but every day a brick was laid to build Rome.” 

The Installation Celebration also coincided with Dean’s annual Homecoming Weekend for alumni and families. On Friday, women’s volleyball played Saint Joseph’s College of Maine in Pieri Gymnasium but came up short with a final score of 3-1. The celebrations continued on Saturday with the alumni lacrosse game, a favorite tradition of the weekend, as well as a historical tour of campus led by Dr. Rob Lawson. Over at Longley Athletic Complex, families and alumni enjoyed a game-day cookout and participated in fun activities for all ages at the Bulldog Fan Zone. 

The Dean College football team took on Gallaudet University and, after leading for most of the game, ultimately fell 26-23. The Thomas “Butchie” Williams ’75 Award for Most Valuable Player was presented to Mozes Mooney ’24 for having the most impact on the game. Fans also enjoyed halftime performances by the Dean College dance performance teams. 

Following the game, Chancellor Augustus and President Elmore held a celebration with the community on Awpie Way, featuring food, lawn games and more. The day’s events also included a tree dedication in memory of Professor David Middleton, an open house at the Green Family Library Learning Commons and an alumni gathering at Teddy Gallagher’s in downtown Franklin, before concluding with a performing arts showcase and trivia night in the Rooney Student Center. 

To round out the weekend, both the field hockey and men’s soccer teams celebrated senior day on Sunday, while the women’s soccer team also competed. Field hockey took on Rivier University but fell 4-0, men’s soccer played to a 0-0 draw with Fisher College and women’s soccer took home a 3-1 win against Norwich University. 

Learn more about the celebration at www.dean.edu/installationcelebration.