Beverly J. Warren

Transcription

I'd like to reconvene the meeting of the board of trustees. Thank all of you for being here today this is a historic day in the life of Kent State University. Our community has waited patiently for the presidential search to reach its conclusion, and I am delighted to announce that today is that day. Ladies and gentleman I am pleased to recognize President-elect Dr. Beverly J. Warren as the next President of Kent State University. Dr. Warren would you please stand and be recognized. A university is really formed by its people and I have been so impressed with the people of Kent State University. I have much more to learn and looking around this room I know I have much more to learn. And I'm so gratified that so many individuals are very interested in the future of this institution. I want to thank the board of trustees for your confidence in me and the trust that you have invested in me. My pledge is a 24/7 high energy commitment to this institution and to the ideals that I know you articulated to me and want to see the best future for this university. This is just a wonderful moment for me. I have followed Kent State for many, many years and most recently looking at the trajectory of what Kent State has accomplished in recent years much to the credit of the current President, Lester Lefton. It's an exciting place I know that Kent State is becoming a destination university. It's moving forward in its research trajectory, and I think this is really an exciting time to come and be apart of this wonderful experience. We all owe a deep gratitude to President Lefton I was a attracted to this institution Lester because of what you have worked to build over the last eight years. This is an institution on the rise and I won't say that lightly. I come from a similar institution with similar aspirations, and I know the hard work that it takes for us to continue to move forward. I think parents can expect that I take very seriously the education of their children. Their safety will be first and foremost for me. We will make sure that this is a safe environment that they can feel good about where their children are attending. And they're going to learn in a classroom. They're going to be engaged. And what I hope every student will say when they walk across the stage and go and see their parents they're going to say this place changed my life. I have so much more to learn about Kent State University there are at least 100 or so people in here who have points of view. There are at least 42 thousand students who have a point of view and there are many more faculty and staff from whom I need to learn what you believe is the hope, the promise, the dream of Kent State University because to me what a President does is to articulate to the world your desires for your university. Kent State University President Dr. Lester Lefton and please welcome Kent State University's new President-elect Dr. Beverly J. Warren. The first thing I want to do is to listen and to learn. I think I need to meet many, many people, and I am looking forward to meeting faculty and students and staff. I'm looking forward to hearing what others say they think is the brightest future for Kent State this will be a collaborative process. I'm really looking forward to that journey of finding out more about Kent and more about the people that make up Kent.