Inauguration Weekend!

Last weekend was spectacular. As the title suggests, it was Inauguration Weekend for President McInally. For me, I had been waiting months for the inauguration. While President McInally has been our president since July, this ceremony really sealed the deal (essentially made it official). It was a time for the Coe community to be together as well as a chance for us to show off our new president to colleges across the United States.

I of course broke out my favorite red dress (Kohawk pride) and my new pair of heels. I got a lot of compliments on my very classy ensemble and I would just respond saying, "It's Inauguration Weekend!"

The program from the inauguration

Friday afternoon was the ceremony. It took place in Sinclair and was well done. The Concert Band had a prelude, our International Club brought in flags from the various countries our students are from, and the Concert Choir and Chorale sang. Representatives from different groups both on and off campus made pledges to support President McInally, one of Dave's mentors from Allegheny College gave a great speech about our president, and Dave Carson (Chair of the Board of Trustees and someone I had the opportunity to get to know on the Search Committee) made the whole thing official with the big presidential necklace (excuse me, medallion).

President McInally with his official presidential medallion. Dave Carson is behind him and the man on the left is Richard Cook, Ph.D. and President Emeritus of Allegheny College. Photo from Coe College's Facebook page.

I think the best part of the ceremony was hearing President McInally speak. He directed about 99.9% of the speech towards us, the students. He told us that himself and all the faculty and administration on Coe's campus believes in us and our potential. He discussed what a liberal arts college is not and what it is. The speech was stunning (there were some tears shed by some students and if not tears, definitely goosebumps). 

For me, I spent the entire inauguration thinking back to February 2012 when I got a phone call asking if I might like to be part of the Presidential Search Committee. I said yes, not knowing the adventure I would embark on. I had an interview, was asked to be one of the two student representatives and then on a snowy day in late February, found myself on a conference call with trustees, faculty, staff, and one other student (aka Max) who I would become friends with as the search continued. I thought back to reading files in Stuart Hall on a Saturday afternoon in late July, and I thought back to going to Chicago and meeting Dave McInally for the first time in person. It was incredibly rewarding to see President McInally up on Sinclair's stage. I can't tell you how thrilled I am he is our president. 

There was an extremely nice reception in the caf post inauguration where I got to chat with some Search Committee members who had come back for the occasion, some of my professors, and my peers. 

But Inauguration Weekend was not over. It continued on Saturday night with the Presidential Ball. This year it was held at the convention center at the newly remodeled Double Tree Hotel in downtown Cedar Rapids. It was an excellent event, filled with friends, fun, good conversation, and lots of dancing. Unfortunately, I was having too much fun to take a lot of pictures so this one was the only one I got (good thing it's such an excellent photo)

L to R: Kat, myself, Millie, and Kelsey

So all in all, an excellent weekend. While no muffins were made, I think Inauguration Weekend is pretty darn special all by itself!