Brandeis To Inaugurate New President Thursday

WALTHAM, MA – Brandeis University will inaugurate Ronald Liebowitz as its ninth president at a ceremony Thursday.

Liebowitz came to Brandeis after 11 years as president of Middlebury College in Vermont. He began his tenure at Middlebury as a geography professor in 1984, working his way up to provost in 1997 and president in 2004.

Liebowitz officially assumed his role in July, succeeding Interim President Lisa Lynch.

“"The Inauguration of Ron Liebowitz is a moment to honor Brandeis’ roots and look forward as we continue to build on our distinctive place in higher education," Brandeis Board of Trustees Chairman Larry Kanarek said in a statement. "Ron has a deep respect for our history as a nonsectarian university founded by the Jewish community and dedicated to making the world a better place. A visionary leader, Ron’s experience in higher education, his analytic thinking, openness, and warmth will move Brandeis forward in a way that would make our founders proud."

Anita Hill, professor of Social Policy, Law and Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies, will serve as Grand Marshal of the ceremony. In addition to Liebowitz and Kanarek, featured speakers will include Middlebury humanities professor Stephen Donadio; MIT Morris Cohen Professor of Materials Science and Engineering Christine Ortiz; Brandeis Provost Lisa Lynch; and Maurice B. Hexter, professor of Social and Economic Policy.

The Brandeis Chamber Singers, as well as the university chorus and orchestra, will perform during the program.

Thursday's event is ticketed and begins at 2 p.m. in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. Click here for more information.

Photo: Mike Lovett (Original uploader was Alight at en.wikipedia) [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons