Dr. Sherry L. Turner Inaugurated as 12th President of HIU

The Inauguration of President Sherry L. Turner was a joy-filled and inspiring series of events held on Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26.

The weekend began on April 25 with a dinner attended by family, friends, and colleagues close to President Turner in the Meeting Room at HIU. 

It was followed the next morning with a brunch open to students, staff, faculty, Trustees, Ambassadors, delegates, and others planning to attend the Inauguration ceremony in the afternoon.

The Inauguration program opened at 3 p.m. in West Hartford Town Hall with a procession of delegates representing 14 different institutions of higher education. Trustees and faculty also processed, and the platform party was led into the room by Alvin Carter Jr. on African Drum. The inauguration's theme was "We Are Ascending!"

Clare Feldman, Chair of the HIU Board of Trustees, gave a welcome to all watching in person as well as on the livestream, which included hundreds of participants from around the world. She also recognized two former presidents who were in attendance, Dr. Michael Rion, and Dr. Joel N. Lohr.

Dr. Bilal Ansari, Co-Director of the MA in Chaplaincy, gave the Invocation.

The choir then performed a rousing rendition of Total Praise conducted by Kalia Kellogg, Director of Recruitment and Enrollment Management. 

The following charges were delivered to President Turner during the program:

Charge from the Faculty: Dr. Deena Grant, Dean and Vice President of Academic Affairs

Charge from the Students/Alums: Fauzia Chanda, Ph.D. student

Charge from the Staff: Lorraine Ryan, Vice President of Operations and Campus Culture

Charge from the Community: City of Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam, who also sang and played the guitar for the occasion

Charge from the Christian Community: Rev. Dr. Barbara E. Headley, Pastor of Zion Community Baptist Church and former HIU faculty

Charge from the Muslim Community: Reza Mansoor, MD, Co-Founder of the Muslim Coalition of Connecticut and former HIU Trustee

Charge from the Jewish Community: Risa Filkoff, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford

Charge from the Academic Community: Dr. Marjorie Hass, President of the Council of Independent Colleges

Following the charges, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, President Emerita of Spelman College and an HIU Trustee, delivered a reflection via recorded video.

A Poem of Exaltation was delivered by:

Rev. Dr. Cheryl Townsend Gilkes, Distinguised Professor, Howard Thurman Center

Rev. Dr. Lisa Dahill, Director of the Center for Transformative Spirituality

Dr. Juliana Mosley-Williams, Strategist for J2M Consulting

Aida Mansoor, Director of Field Education

Hannah Belsky, MA in International Peacebuilding, Class of 2025

Frances Wood, scholar, activist and writer

Scripture readings followed:

Jewish: Rabbi Stuart Grant 

Christian: Rev. Althea Walker, Coordinator of the Black Ministries Program

Muslim: Ramatu Binyamin, MA in International Peacebuilding student

Board Chair Feldman then introduced President Turner, and the board's 1st Vice President, Naseem Shaikh, delivered a charge from the Trustees. President Turner was formally invested with the chain of office created for the occasion just after 4 p.m. The chain of office, which holds the official medallion, has links that identify each HIU president, now twelve.

President Turner delivered her inuaugral address, saying:

"Like the dove in our emblem, we are called to rise, higher, stronger, and more unified, not because the path is easy, but because the moment demands it." 

As the program came to a close, Eric Dozier, several singers, and several band members performed Hollow Reed, a Baháʼí prayer that Eric set to music, and a song that is close to President Turner's heart. When asked for permission to use the song, Eric Dozier agreed to travel from Florida to perform it live and to serve as the inauguration's music director. 

Bishop Dr. Benjamin Watts, Executive Minister of the Howard Thurman Center, delivered the Benediction.

The recessional was followed by a reception at Town Hall. 

Please enjoy these photos taken by photographer Cloe Poisson and HIU's Chief Creative Officer Steven Havira.

For a complete recording of the Inauguration ceremony, visit this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX5XuSfRiQU&t=8s