Thomas H.
Powell Inaugurated as President of Mount St.
Mary’s College and Seminary
Oct,
24, 2003 - Thomas H. Powell was inaugurated
today as the 24th president of Mount St.
Mary’s College and Seminary, the oldest
independent Catholic college in the country.
The ceremony was held in the Athletic and
Recreation Convention Center on the Mount
campus.
An inaugural mass and luncheon were held
earlier in the day, with close to 1,000
guests, students, and alumni gathered for
the celebration. Dignitaries, leaders in the
Catholic Church, alumni, and educators
offered warm greetings to the new president.
Powell accepted their congratulations and
then presented his vision for the role of
the college and seminary, emphasizing the
importance of a Catholic liberal arts
education.
According to Powell, “Catholic colleges,
like Mount St. Mary’s, reinforce the
fundamental nature of learning. Through our
firm commitment to our faith and a liberal
education, we teach our students to put
their lives within the larger context of the
human experience. At the Mount, we teach
students to think clearly, argue with
passion and conviction, respond to a
changing world and to live a life of
purpose.”
Powell also recognized nine Mount students
who exemplify the words he uses to describe
the Mount: Faith, Discovery, Leadership and
Community, saying, “Four simple words remind
us of our collective calling and promise.
Holding ourselves accountable to the promise
of these four simple words will help us
continue to build a college of distinction.”
The official ceremony began with a colorful
academic procession that included Mount
faculty and more than 50 delegates from
colleges, universities, and associations
from around the country. The Honorable Paul
S. Sarbanes, United States Senator from
Maryland, offered greetings to Powell on
behalf of the State of Maryland, while The
Honorable James Hoover, Mayor of Emmitsburg,
praised the president for his already
growing commitment to the Emmitsburg
community. Parent, student, alumni, faculty,
and staff representatives also welcomed the
new president.
Following this series of greetings, Thomas
G. O’Hara, Chair of the Mount St. Mary’s
College and Seminary Board of Trustees, led
the investiture ceremony during which Powell
was presented with the three traditional
symbols of the Office of the President: the
DuBois Crucifix, the Presidential Medallion
and the Mace.
The DuBois
Crucifix symbolizes the Mount’s vital role
in preparing leaders to serve the Church;
the Presidential Medallion represents the
authority of the president; and the Mace
recognizes the history and region of the
school.
Powell then presented his inaugural address,
ending with this eloquent appeal, “As we
collectively build a college of distinction
for a third century, let us pray as if
everything depended on God and work as if
everything depended on us.”
His Eminence William Cardinal Keeler,
Archbishop of Baltimore, closed the official
inaugural ceremony with the benediction.
Prior to
joining the Mount community, Powell served
as the president of Glenville State College
in Glenville, W. Va. He was also a professor
of education and dean at Winthrop University
in Rock Hill, S.C. (1994-99); and a
professor of special education and dean at
Montana State University (1990-1994).
Powell earned bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in special education from Montana
State University-Billings, in 1976 and 1979,
respectively, and completed an Ed.D. in
special education from Vanderbilt University
in 1981. His academic concentrations
included teacher education, family
intervention, severe disabilities and
educational technology.
Throughout his career, Powell has
effectively maintained the balance between
teaching and research. He has written four
books, notably, Brothers and Sisters: A
Special Part of Exceptional Families, and
authored numerous book chapters and articles
for scholarly publications. In addition to
lecturing around the country, Powell is a
frequent keynote speaker at professional
conferences. He is also the founding
director of the University of Connecticut
Program for Disabilities, as well as the
Sibling Information Network.
Powell and his wife, Irene, have three
children: Nicholas, Thomas Henry and
Cathleen.
In addition to his duties at the Mount,
Powell is currently at work on a book for
fathers of children with disabilities. It
will be completed in 2004.
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