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Inauguration Ceremony

Michael H. Schill’s formal installation as the 17th president of Northwestern University took place during the official inauguration ceremony, held on Ryan Fieldhouse’s Wilson Field on Friday, June 2, 2023.  Learn all about the ceremony and its participants, and play the ceremony video, below.


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Photo Gallery

 

Prelude

As guests arrived, Northwestern’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble performed.

Image of Northwesten's Symphonic Wind Ensemble playing during the guest entrance.

The ensemble was conducted by Mallory Thompson ’79, ’80 MMus, John W. Beattie Chair of Music and director of bands, Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music.

Symphonic Wind Ensemble

  • Ethan Adams ’23 MMus
  • Schyler Adkins ’25 DMA
  • Sam Alvarez ’24
  • Imran Amarshi ’24 MMus
  • Troy Archer ’24
  • Isaac Boone ’24
  • Gwen Boros ’24
  • Matthew Cammarano ’25
  • Alex Chao ’23, ’23 MS
  • Jason Chen ’25
  • Nick Collins ’23 MMus
  • Emmett Conway ’24
  • Rachel Cote ’23 MMus
  • Timothy Cook ’23 MMus
  • John Dawson ’23 MMus
  • Will Fowler ’23
  • Timothy Fu ’23
  • Wiktoria Godawa ’23 MMus
  • Daniel Gostein ’23 MMus
  • Andrew Guo ’25
  • Momo Hasselbring Seko ’23 MMus
  • Kristina Hawkinson ’24 MMus
  • Jason Huang ’23
  • Thomas Hubel ’23 MMus
  • Vaynu Kadiyali ’23
  • Rob Kellar ’24 MMus
  • Daniel Kinney ’26
  • Philip Kleutgens ’24 MMus
  • Seth Lauver ’23
  • Keliang Li ’23 MMus
  • Audrey Marx ’24
  • Nick Mihalich ’23 MMus
  • Louis Milne ’23
  • Mark Morris ’22, ’24 MMus
  • Alex Mullins ’23 MMus
  • Dustin Nguyen ’24 MMus
  • Kevin Opena ’24
  • Atulya Palacharla ’25
  • Blake Parker ’24
  • Megan Radcliffe ’23
  • David Roush ’24 DMA
  • Griffin Rupp ’24
  • Jeffrey Ryan ’25
  • Angel Salinas ’25
  • Fiona Shonik ’24
  • James Smelley ’24 MMus
  • Miranda Smith ’24
  • Julian Stiles ’22
  • Noah Stone ’23
  • Nia Suresh ’26
  • Parisa Tofigh ’26
  • Tina Uhrenbacher ’23 MMus
  • Noah Vincent ’25
  • Michael Wattai ’24 MMus
  • Caroline Weiss ’24
  • Alex Whitehead ’23 MMus
  • Ryan Wood ’23 MMus
  • Haylie Wu ’24
  • Matthew Yao ’23
  • Hana Yoon ’23
  • Timothy Zhang ’25
  • Joey Zhuang ’23 MMus 

Procession

Preceding the installation of the president during the inauguration ceremony, the procession featured university leaders in academic regalia taking their places for the ceremony in an order informed by American higher education traditions dating back to the late 1800s. Learn more about the academic regalia worn at the ceremony.

Order of procession

Eagle Staff Bearer

Vincent Romero
Pueblo of Laguna, US Navy
 

Mace Bearer

Catherine S. Woolley
William Deering Professor of Biological Sciences, Department of Neurobiology, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences

Northwestern Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps

Midshipman Third Class Daniel Morrow ’25

Midshipman Third Class Kyle Platt ’25

Midshipman Third Class William Shamai ’25

Midshipman Fourth Class Julia Davis ’26

Midshipman Fourth Class Kathleen Virsik ’26 

Institutional Delegates

Representatives from several colleges and universities, including tribal colleges and universities as well as tribal education departments, were invited to take part in the inauguration ceremony. Participating delegates are listed by the year of their institutions’ founding.

1636: Harvard University
Robert Holmgren

1701: Yale University
Susan Gibbons 

1740: University of Pennsylvania
Lynn Jerath

1764: Brown University
Samuel M. Mencoff

1766: Rutgers University
Nimesh Jhaveri

1769: Dartmouth College
Barry L. MacLean (’99, ’08 P)

1787: University of Pittsburgh
Ellen Wartella (’16 P)

1789: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Mike Andreasen

1817: University of Michigan
Renee Schoenberg ’73

1819: University of Virginia
Patricia M. Lampkin

1820: Indiana University
Emily Carter

1821: Amherst College
Charles Ashby Lewis 

1827: University of Toronto
Cheryl Regehr

1829: Illinois College
Laura Corey

1831: New York University
Parker Lynch

1837: Knox College
James Davis ’15 MA

1838: Duke University
Deborah L. DeHaas

1839: Boston University
Lawrence D. Gilbert

1846: Grinnell College
Penny Sebring ’85 PhD

1847: Rockford University
Patricia Lynott

1848: University of Wisconsin–Madison
Jennifer L. Mnookin 

1853: Washington University in St. Louis
Mark McCareins ’78

1856: University of Maryland
Scot Reese ’94 

1860: Augustana College
Bradley P. Wooten ’96 MBA

1860: Wheaton College
Alan Wolff ’96 MS, ’08 PhD (’13, ’16, ’20 P)

1861: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Jian Cao

1865: Cornell University
Stephanie Fox

1865: University of Kansas
Karen Cleland ’88

1867: Chicago State University
Zaldwaynaka Scott

1868: University of California, Berkeley
Deborah Cohen

1869: University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Roger Boye

1870: Loyola University
Philip Hale ’83

1870: Syracuse University
Allen W. Groves

1873: Vanderbilt University
Eric Kopstain ’95, ’01 MBA

1876: Johns Hopkins University
Christopher Brathwaite

1880: University of Southern California
Robert E. McQuinn

1885: Georgia Institute of Technology
Stephen B. Zelnak (’26 P)

1885: Stanford University
William Sneed ’86 MBA, JD

1887: Clark University
Guiseppe Colletta

1890: University of Chicago
Katherine Baicker

1891: California Institute of Technology
Seth Stein

1891: North Park University
Mary Karsten Surridge ’84

1891: University of California, Santa Barbara
Sachin Patel

1898: DePaul University
Eugene L. Zdziarski, II

1912: Rice University
Hal Shipman ’10 MA

1929: Quinnipiac University
Judy Olian

1948: Brandeis University
Reuel Rogers

1969: Indian Community School
Mark Powless (Tehalihwaɂkháhsyuhs), Oneida Nation

1975: Chief Dull Knife College
Eva M. Flying, Northern Cheyenne/Oneida

1993: College of the Menominee Nation
Chris Caldwell, Menominee

Northwestern Faculty Representatives

James G. Adams 

Victoria O. Akinde 

Achal Bassamboo

Rinad S. Beidas 

Randall A. Berry 

Daniel J. Brat 

Katharine H. Breen 

Laura R. Brueck 

James C. Carr ’00 GME, ’01 GME

Deborah Smith Clements 

Andre Luiz De Gouvea (’20 P)

Stephanie L. Edgerly 

Timothy A. Franklin

Henry D. Godinez (’18, ’21 P)

Kimberly A. Gray ’78

Marianne M. Green (’15, ’17, ’21 P)

Ann C. Gunter 

Elizabeth Bennett Hebbeln ’97 MS

Kathleen M. Hewett-Smith 

Robert A. Holmgren 

Matthew T. Hurtgen 

Seunga Venus Jin 

Vicky Kalogera 

Samir Khuller

Cristina Lafont (’20 P)

Margaret M. McCarthy  

Therese McGuire

Seth J. Meisel 

Chad A. Mirkin 

Gary Saul Morson (’11 P)

Teri Wang Odom 

Monica Olvera De La Cruz 

Amy Paller ’83 GME

Nasrin Qader 

William S. Reno 

Cynthia Rivera 

Ceci Rodgers ’80, ’81 MS

John Rogers (’25 P)

Ali Shilatifard (’20, ’22 P)

Samuel I. Stupp ’77 PhD

Regan J. Thomson 

Matthew C. Tresch 

Vijaymahadev Viswanathan 

Nicholas Volpe (’21, ’22, ’24 P)

Ji-Ping Wang 

Benjamin Weinkove 

Uri J. Wilensky (’19, ’22 P)

Gayle E. Woloschak

Catherine S. Woolley

Zachary Valentine Wright ’10 PhD

Northwestern Staff Representatives

Emily Babb    
Associate Vice President for Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance

Megan Bang ’09 PhD, Ojibwe
Director, Center for Native American and Indigenous Research
Professor of Learning Sciences, School of Education and Social Policy

Lesley-Ann Brown-Henderson          
Assistant Vice President for Inclusion and Chief of Staff, Student Affairs
Instructor, Higher Education Administration and Policy

Carol Chen ’16 MS, ’24 MBA
Director of Business and Finance 

Katie Crane ’08, ’11 MS
Assistant Vice President and Associate Secretary to the Board of Trustees, Office of Administration and Planning

Lisa Dhar (’25 P)        
Associate Vice President for Innovation 

Sumitrajit Dhar           
Associate Provost for Faculty and Hugh Knowles Professor of Hearing Science

Brian Drabik ’04 MA
Secretary, Northwestern University Staff Advisory Council Executive Committee

Daniel Lee Durack ’21 MBA
Associate Vice President for Budget and Planning

Mark Francis  
Associate Provost for Administration, Finance, and Facilities 

Amy Hauenstein
Director of Professional Programs, Office of the Provost
Vice Chair, Northwestern University Staff Advisory Council Executive Committee 

Mike Hines     
Assistant Vice President of Executive Communications, Office of the Provost 

Parneshia D. Jones 
Director, Northwestern University Press 

Jake Julia       
Vice Provost for Administration and Chief of Staff, Office of the Provost

Roma Khanna ’00, ’11 MS
Associate Provost for Strategy and Policy 

Sarah Klaper  
University Ombudsperson 

Rev. Kristen Glass Perez
University Chaplain and Executive Director for Religious and Spiritual Life

Amit Prachand ’96
Associate Vice President, Information and Analytics, Office of Administration and Planning

Annelise Riles
Executive Director, Roberta Buffett Institute for Global Affairs
Associate Provost for Global Affairs

Miriam Gamoram Sherin       
Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education

Nathan Taylor ’12 MMus
Senior Director and Assistant Secretary to the Board of Trustees, Office of Administration and Planning 

Chris Watson 
Associate Vice President for Student Outreach
Dean of Undergraduate Enrollment

Joan Trimuel Williams ’04 MS
Chair, Executive Committee, Northwestern University Staff Advisory Council
Director of Compliance, Office for Regulatory Affairs, Feinberg School of Medicine

Northwestern Student Leaders

Donovan Cusick ’24
Copresident, Associated Student Government

Arham Khalid ’24
President, NU-Q Student Government

Malik Rice ’26
Executive Officer of Justice and Inclusion, Associated Student Government 

Kate Richerson ’24
President, Student Bar Association

Alexis Schwartz ’25
Executive Officer of Accountability, Associated Student Government

Dalia Segal-Miller ’24
Chief of Staff, Associated Student Government

Caleb Snead ’26
Chair of Student Activity Finance Committee, Associated Student Government

Molly Whalen ’24
Copresident, Associated Student Government

Northwestern Alumni Leaders 

Kristin A. McDonnell ’85 (’21, ’23, ’25 P)
President Elect, Northwestern Alumni Association   

Past Presidents of the Northwestern Alumni Association 

Robert A. Creamer ’63

Charles L. Katzenmeyer ’85, ’89 MBA

Mark A. Ledogar ’89

Samir S. Mayekar ’06, ’13 MBA

Kathryn Kimura Mlsna ’74, ’77 JD (’03, ’12 P)

Alumni Regents

Christine Olson Robb ’66 (’93 P), Chair

John L. Anderson ’76, ’77 MBA (’03 P)

Melissa Bernal-Vega ’97 (’23, ’25 P)

Fred L. Brown ’62 (’26 GP)

Robert A. Creamer ’63

Candy K. Deemer ’76, ’77 MS

Michael J. Gottlieb ’99

Mark D. Hassakis ’73

Charles L. Katzenmeyer ’85, ’89 MBA

Barbara L. Keller ’68

Christine M. Lavelle ’89

Necole J. Merritt ’88

Kathryn Kimura Mlsna ’74, ’77 JD (’03, ’12 P)

Michael M. Sapienza ’74, ’76 MBA

Jerry H. Wang ’91

Dennis T. Yang ’95

Northwestern Provost and Deans

Kathleen M. Hagerty (’16 P)  
University Provost
First Chicago Professor of Finance, Kellogg School of Management

Francesca Cornelli
Dean and Donald P. Jacobs Chair in Finance, Kellogg School of Management 

Thomas F. Gibbons
Dean, School of Professional Studies

E. Patrick Johnson
Dean and Annenberg University Professor, School of Communication

Marwan M. Kraidy (’24 P)      
Dean and Chief Executive Officer, Northwestern University in Qatar

Kelly E. Mayo
Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost for Graduate Education 

Dan P. McAdams      
Interim Dean, School of Education and Social Policy, Henry Wade Rogers Professor of Psychology, and Professor of Human Development and Social Policy

Toni-Marie Montgomery        
Dean and Professor, Bienen School of Music 

Eric G. Neilson
Vice President of Medical Affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean, Feinberg School of Medicine

Hari M. Osofsky
Dean and Myra and James Bradwell Professor of Law and Professor of Environmental Law and Culture, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law

Julio M. Ottino (’12 P)
Dean, Distinguished Robert R. McCormick Institute Professor, and Walter P. Murphy Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering

Adrian Randolph        
Dean and Professor of Art History, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences

Xuemao Wang           
Charles Deering McCormick University Librarian and Dean of Libraries

Charles F. Whitaker ’80, ’81 MS       
Dean and Professor, Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications

Northwestern Officers

Robin R. Means Coleman         
Vice President and Associate Provost for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, Chief Diversity Officer, and Ida B. Wells and Ferdinand Barnett Professor of Communication Studies

Susan M. Davis         
Vice President for Student Affairs

Amy Falls       
Vice President and Chief Investment Officer

Luke Figora    
Vice President for Operations

Lorraine A. Goffe
Vice President for Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer

Derrick L. Gragg
Combe Family Vice President for Athletics and Recreation

Stephanie Mills Graham (’17, ’20, ’25 P)
Vice President and General Counsel 

Dévora Grynspan ’76, ’77 MA, ’83 PhD
Vice President for International Relations

Craig A. Johnson ’99, ’07 MBA
Executive Vice President

Andy Madorsky ’85 MS         
Co-Interim Vice President, Assistant Vice President of Marketing, and Chief Creative Officer, Office of Global Marketing and Communications

Marilyn McCoy           
Vice President for Administration and Planning

Robert E. McQuinn
Vice President for Alumni Relations and Development

Milan Mrksich 
Vice President for Research and Henry Wade Rogers Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Jon Yates
Co-Interim Vice President and Assistant Vice President of Communications, Office of Global Marketing and Communications 

Northwestern Board of Trustees

University Trustees

Wendy D. Abrams ’90 MBA

José E. Almeida

Courtney D. Armstrong ’93, ’97 JD, MBA

Heather B. Baker ’92

Peter J. Barris ’73 (’11, ’18 P)

Alicia Boler Davis ’91

Christine E. Brennan ’80, ’81 MS

Steven A. Cahillane ’87 (’17, ’19 P)

Du H. Chai ’94, ’01 MBA

Howard B. Chrisman ’97 GME (’20 P)

Frank D. Cohen ’95

Deborah L. DeHaas

James A. DeNaut ’84 (’16, ’18 P)

Tarek A. Elmasry ’94 MBA (’23, ’24 P)

D. Cameron Findlay ’82 (’14 P)

T. Bondurant French ’75, ’76 MBA (’07, ’21 P)

Valerie J. Friedman ’85 (’16, ’18, ’25 P)

Larry W. Gies ’92 MBA

H. Patrick Hackett Jr. ’73, ’82 MBA

Robert M. Hayward ’94, ’97 JD (’24 P)

Bridgette P. Heller ’83, ’85 MBA

Jay C. Hoag ’80

Adam L. Hoeflich (’18, ’19 P)

Jane S. Hoffman ’86 (’21 P)

Lynn Hopton Davis ’82, ’86 MBA (’18, ’21 P)

Yie-Hsin Hung ’84 (’22 P)

David G. Kabiller ’85, ’87 MBA

Nancy Trienens Kaehler ’79 MS

Adam R. Karr ’93 (’25 P)

Melih Z. Keyman (’07 P)

Harreld N. Kirkpatrick III ’94, ’97 MBA

John Z. Kukral ’82 (’13, ’17 P)

Ellen Kullman ’83 MBA (’19, ’22 P)

Jennifer Leischner Litowitz ’91 (’22 P)

Albert A. Manzone ’93 MBA (’18, ’22 P)

April McClain-Delaney ’86 (’15, ’18 P)

Kristin A. McDonnell ’85 (’21, ’23, ’25 P)

Thomas K. Montag ’82 MBA

Milton M. Morris ’92, ’04 MBA

Wendy M. Nelson ’91, ’99 MBA

Pin Ni (’16 P)

Phebe Novakovic (’10 P)

Tara M. Peters ’93 (’23 P)

Jane DiRenzo Pigott (’92 P)

Brian S. Posner ’83 (’21 P)

Paula B. Pretlow ’77, ’78 MBA

Purnima Puri ’93

Kimberly K. Querrey (’22, ’23 P)

Michael A. Reinsdorf (’17, ’19 P)

Annette P. Rippert ’86, ’94 MBA

Virginia M. Rometty ’79, ’15 H

Patrick G. Ryan Jr. ’97 MBA, JD

David A. Sachs ’81 (’15, ’18 P)

Michael J. Sacks ’88 MBA, JD

E. Scott Santi ’94 MBA

Muneer A. Satter ’83

Paul J. Schneider ’96, ’11 MBA (’22, ’26 P)

Michael S. Shannon ’83 MBA (’10, ’15 P)

Gwynne E. Shotwell ’86, ’88 MS, ’21 H (’19 P)

Emily Heisley Stoeckel ’87 (’20, ’22 P)

Timothy P. Sullivan

Charles A. Tribbett III (’14 P)

Frederick H. Waddell ’79 MBA (’12, ’14 P)

Mark R. Walter ’85 JD

Sona Wang ’86 MBA (’18 P)

Joey Wat ’00 MBA

Miles D. White (’15 P)

Michael R. Wilbon ’80

W. Rockwell Wirtz ’75

Jianming Yu ’00 MBA

Life Trustees

William F. Aldinger

Mark A. Angelson

Judith S. Block ’63 (’93, ’03 P)

Neil G. Bluhm ’62 JD (’95 P)

Deborah H. Brady ’65 (’01 P) (’20 GP)

Duane L. Burnham (’93, ’94 P)

John A. Canning Jr. (’93, ’98, ’07 P)

Nicholas D. Chabraja ’64, ’67 JD

Fernando G. Chico ’76 MBA (’13 P)

Dennis H. Chookaszian ’65 (’02 P) (’19, ’24 GP)

George A. Cohon ’61 JD (’89 P) (’23 GP)

Franklin A. Cole ’50 JD (’81 P)

Christopher B. Combe ’70 (’99, ’06, ’09 P)

Philip M. Condit

John W. Croghan (’12 GP)

A. Steven Crown (’11, ’20 P)

Lester Crown ’46 (’93, ’21 P) (’11, ’20 GP)

Bonnie S. Daniels ’69

Richard H. Dean ’69 (’96 P)

Charles W. Douglas ’70 (’98, ’03 P)

John M. Eggemeyer ’68 (’91, ’20 P)

W. James Farrell (’04 P)

Dennis J. FitzSimons

Barbara Gaines ’68

Christopher B. Galvin ’73, ’77 MBA (’11 P)

James L. Garard Jr. ’55 MBA (’15 GP)

Eric J. Gleacher ’62 (’91, ’12 P)

J. Douglas Gray (’12 P)

Herbert W. Gullquist ’59 (’13 GP)

Thomas Z. Hayward Jr. ’62, ’65 JD (’89, ’90, ’94 P) (’24 GP)

Edward C. Hutcheson Jr. ’68 (’23 GP)

George E. Johnson (’90 P)

Daniel S. Jones ’61 (’91 P)

James R. Kackley ’64 (’87 P)

Ellen Philips Katz ’70

William S. Kirsch ’78

Lester B. Knight (’10 P)

Martin J. Koldyke (’83, ’98, ’99 P) (’12, ’22 GP)

Harry M. Kraemer Jr. ’79 MBA (’19 P)

Timothy K. Krauskopf ’84, ’99 MBA

Duane R. Kullberg

Lawrence F. Levy ’66, ’67 MBA

Ivy Beth Lewis ’79, ’85 JD

Edward M. Liddy

John Jeffry Louis ’89 MBA

Ann Lurie (’16 P)

Robert A. Lurie ’50

John W. Madigan (’00 P)

J. Landis Martin ’68, ’73 JD, ’22 H (’02, ’08 P)

R. Eden Martin

Arthur C. Martinez (’02 P)

W. James McNerney Jr. (’22 P)

Lee M. Mitchell (’97 P)

Leo F. Mullin (’04 P)

Robin Chemers Neustein ’79 MBA, JD

James J. O’Connor (’86, ’96, ’98 P) (’19 GP)

William A. Osborn ’69, ’73 MBA, ’18 H

Harry J. Pearce ’67 JD, ’98 H (’99 P) (’16 GP)

Jerry K. Pearlman (’85, ’93, ’95 P) (’17, ’20 GP)

Jerry M. Reinsdorf ’60 JD (’95 P) (’17, ’19 GP)

M. Jude Reyes (’22 P)

Patrick G. Ryan ’59, ’09 H (’97, ’00 P)

Paul L. Sagan ’81 (’09 P)

William E. Sagan ’72 (’06, ’09 P)

Robert P. Saltzman ’64 (’91, ’94 P)

D. Gideon Searle ’83 MBA (’02, ’09, ’16 P)

Gordon I. Segal ’60 (’93 P)

Andrew E. Senyei ’79 MD (’06, ’08, ’16 P)

William D. Smithburg ’62 MBA (’10 P)

Judith A. Sprieser ’74, ’77 MBA

Thomas C. Theobald

Richard L. Thomas (’84, ’88 P)

Julia A. Uihlein ’72 (’02, ’03 P)

John R. Walter

David B. Weinberg

William J. White ’60 (’84 P) (’17, ’19 GP)

Stephen R. Wilson ’70, ’74 MBA (’08 P)

Stephen M. Wolf 

Ceremony Participants

Megan Bang ’09 PhD, Ojibwe
Director, Center for Native American and Indigenous Research
Professor of Learning Sciences, School of Education and Social Policy

 Alexander Gemignani
Associate Professor of Instruction, Theatre, School of Communication

E. Patrick Johnson
Dean and Annenberg University Professor, School of Communication

 KO
Associate Professor, Donald G. Robertson Director of Music Theatre, School of Communication 

Symbol of Office Bearers 

Ceci Rodgers ’80, ’81 MS
President, Faculty Senate
Assistant Professor and Director of Global Journalism Learning, Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications 

Donovan Cusick ’24
Molly Whalen ’24
Copresidents, Associated Student Government 

Joan Trimuel Williams ’04 MS
Chair, Executive Committee, Northwestern University Staff Advisory Council
Director of Compliance, Office for Regulatory Affairs, Feinberg School of Medicine

Presidential Party

Peter J. Barris ’73 (’11, ’18 P)
Chair, Board of Trustees

Henry S. Bienen ’09 H (’19, ’25 GP)
President Emeritus

Rev. Kristen Glass Perez
University Chaplain and Executive Director for Religious and Spiritual Life

Morton Schapiro (’23 P)
President Emeritus

Michael H. Schill
President
Professor of Law, Pritzker School of Law
Professor of Finance and Real Estate, Kellogg School of Management

sheet music

Before the presidential party processed, the Symphonic Wind Ensemble performed “Spring Fanfare,” commissioned by Northwestern and composed by Alex Mincek, assistant professor of composition and music technology at the Bienen School of Music, for this historic occasion.

At the conclusion of the procession, President Schill marched to the stage.

Otoe-Missouria Flag Song

In recent years, nearly every Native American tribe has composed a flag song, dedicated to those who have served in the armed forces in various wars. These flag songs are the Native American equivalent of the national anthem, and those in attendance are asked to remove their hats and stand as they are able.

The Otoe-Missouria Flag Song performed by the Oka Homma Singers was composed more than a century ago for returning veterans of World War I. Note: Out of respect for this sacred ritual, the flag song presentation was not recorded and is not included in the final ceremony film.

Oka Homma Singers

  • Jordan Gurneau ’26 PhD, Ojibwe 
  • Paul Molina, Kickapoo
  • Dave Spencer, Mississippi Chata/Diné
  • Lawrence Curley, Ojibwe/Diné
  • Holly Spencer

Presentation of Colors

Northwestern Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps presented the colors.

Northwestern Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps

  • Midshipman Third Class Daniel Morrow ’25
  • Midshipman Third Class Kyle Platt ’25
  • Midshipman Third Class William Shamai ’25
  • Midshipman Fourth Class Julia Davis ’26
  • Midshipman Fourth Class Kathleen Virsik ’26

United States National Anthem

The Bienen Choral Ensemble performed the National Anthem.

The ensemble was conducted by A.J. Keller ’14 MMus, ’20 DMA, lecturer of conducting and ensembles, Bienen School of Music.

Bienen Choral Ensemble

  • Emily Amesquita ’25
  • Adam Clayton ’23
  • Tim Lambert ’23 MMus
  • Seoyong Lee ’23 MMus
  • Flemming Li ’22, ’23 MMus
  • Victoria Marshall ’23 MMus
  • Antonio Ruiz-Nokes ’23
  • Uma Singh ’24 MMus

Welcome

Peter Barris headshot

Peter J. Barris ’73 (’11, ’18 P), chair of the Board of Trustees, welcomed guests to the inauguration ceremony.

Invocation

Kristen Glass Perez headshot

Rev. Kristen Glass Perez, University chaplain and executive director for religious and spiritual life, delivered the invocation.

Presentation of Reciprocity Gift

Megan Bang headshot

This gift exchange represents reciprocity and kinship between the president and the Indigenous communities. In Anishinaabe culture, parties fulfill the social expectations of kinship and agree to maintain a reciprocal relationship of mutual assistance and responsibility.

Megan Bang ’09 PhD, Ojibwe, director of the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research and professor of learning sciences in the School of Education and Social Policy, participated in the gift exchange with President Schill.

Gifts being exchanged

inauguration-gifts-2.jpgPrior to the inauguration ceremony, Megan Bang presented to President Schill a custom beaded medallion in purple and white with the Northwestern “N.” As is tradition, it was offered to the president four times before he accepted—to ensure careful consideration.

basket of inauguration gifts with the Northwestern N in the center.In exchange, President Schill presented a birch bark basket filled with a copper mug representing water as the source of all life, wild rice representing sustenance, seeds representing our hopes for the future, and wampum shells representing Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination.

Honor Song

Native American honor songs are requested and sung to express honor to a specific person, community group, event, or sacred item. As with the flag song, it is customary for attendees to remove their hats and stand as they are able to show respect when an honor song is performed.

The honor song for this ceremony, which also was performed by the Oka Homma Singers, recognized the occasion of the inauguration of President Schill. It was composed with vocables and is from the Pawnee Nation.

Installation and Presentation of Symbols of Office

Morton Schapiro headshot.

The presentation of the symbols of office, rich with history and meaning, marks the formal installation of the president.

President Emeritus Morton Schapiro (’23 P) presided over the installation, marked by the presentation of three symbolic objects—the University charter, University seal, and chain of office—by faculty, student, and staff representatives.

University Charter

Image of Northwestern's charter. A brown book with gold lettering sitting upright.The 1851 University Charter was presented by Ceci Rodgers ’80, ’81 MS, president of the Faculty Senate and assistant professor and director of global journalism learning at the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications.

The leather-bound charter is a hand-copied reproduction of the Act of Incorporation that granted legal status to “The North Western University” on January 28, 1851. It has been certified by the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State as an authentic copy of the original charter of incorporation, which is held by the Illinois State Archives in Springfield.

University Seal

University sealThe University seal was presented by Donovan Cusick ’24 and Molly Whalen ’24, copresidents of the Associated Student Government.

Soon after Northwestern University was founded, its Board of Trustees adopted an official corporate seal. This seal—approved on June 26, 1856—consisted of an open book surrounded by rays of light and encircled by the words “Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.”

Thirty years later, Daniel Bonbright ’08 H (’13 P), professor of Latin and a member of Northwestern’s original faculty, redesigned the seal, retaining the book and light rays and adding two quotations. On the pages of the open book, he placed a Greek quotation from the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verse 14, translating to “The Word… full of grace and truth.” Circling the book are the first three words, in Latin, of the University motto: quaecumque sunt vera (whatsoever things are true). The outer border of the seal carries the name of the University and the year of its founding. This seal, which remains Northwestern’s official signature, was approved by the Board of Trustees on December 5, 1890.

University Chain of Office

chainThe chain of office was presented by Joan Trimuel Williams ’04 MS, Northwestern University Staff Advisory Council executive committee chair and director of compliance in the Office for Regulatory Affairs at the Feinberg School of Medicine.

The president’s chain of office was created by Tiffany & Company for the 1939 inauguration of Franklyn Bliss Snyder, Northwestern’s 11th chief executive officer. Since that time, it has been worn by each succeeding president at commencement and other formal occasions as a symbol of the University’s highest office. The chain is made up of 26 identical cloverleaf-shaped links, ending in a three-sided center link from which a pendant reproduction of the University seal is suspended. The entire piece is made of sterling silver finished in gold.

 

Musical Performance

Northwestern vocalists and instrumentalists performed “Shine” from Fugitive Songs.

Northwestern performers

Vocalists:

  • Alexander Gemignani
  • Lucy Godinez ’18
  • E. Patrick Johnson
  • KO
  • Jared Son ’23
  • Elyse Yun ’23

Instrumentalists:

  • Alexander Gemignani, Piano
  • Nicholas Ford Kinney ’23, Cello
  • Kirsten Lee ’23, Violin
  • Liam Powers ’26, Bass
  • Kennedy Williams ’23, Drums
  • Sungbin Yun ’25, Guitar

Introduction of the President

Henry Bienen headshot.

President Emeritus Henry S. Bienen ’09 H (’19, ’25 GP) introduced President Schill. 

President’s Address

Mike Schill headshot

President Schill delivered his keynote address to the Northwestern community.

University Alma Mater

The Bienen Choral Ensemble performed, accompanied by the Symphonic Wind Ensemble.

The audience was invited to join in the singing of Northwestern’s Alma Mater, Quaecumque Sunt Vera.

Lyrics

University Alma Mater (Quaecumque Sunt Vera)

Quaecumque sunt vera,

Proba, justa, mera

Omnia haec dona

Praebes nobis bona,

Alma Mater cara,

Benedicta, clara,

Celsa in honore

Nostro et amore!

 

Hail to Alma Mater!

We will sing thy praise forever;

All thy sons and daughters,

Pledge thee victory and honor.

Alma Mater, praise be thine,

May thy name forever shine!

Hail to Purple! Hail to White!

Hail to thee, Northwestern.

Closing Remarks

Peter Barris provided closing remarks.

Recession

As presenters and guests exited, the Symphonic Wind Ensemble performed.