President Sherry L. Turner’s Installation Set for April 26, 2026

HIU is proud to announce that the official installation of President Sherry L. Turner will take place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at the West Hartford Town Hall Auditorium. 

President Turner began her service to HIU on July 1, 2025, as the first African American and third woman to lead the institution, which opened in 1834. President Turner has extensive experience in higher education and is an ordained Christian minister.

In a yearlong search for its 12th president, HIU sought a leader who could shepherd an institution renowned for its historic commitment to helping communities, institutions, and individuals thrive in a multicultural and religiously complex world. The board wanted a leader who would:

• Inspire a shared vision for HIU’s future direction.
• Build its reputation as the nation’s leading resource for interreligious education, research, chaplaincy and peace studies.
• Propel HIU forward by fostering growth in its academic programs, enrollment and revenue.
• Deepen HIU’s relationships with alumni, friends, and religious communities and establish new mutually beneficial partnerships.

Clare Feldman, Chair of the Board of Trustees, said President Turner fulfilled all of the board’s requirements and more.

“We are honored to have Dr. Sherry Turner as the 12th president of this storied institution,” she said. “HIU’s mission of helping bring peace to the world has never been needed more than it is now. Dr. Turner’s commitment to that mission, her extensive academic background and her strong leadership skills will help fulfill that mission.”

Since arriving at HIU in July, President Turner has engaged in a listening tour with stakeholders across the university and its greater community, which stretches around the world. That listening process, she said, has helped deepen her appreciation for the many ways "people have been transformed by HIU and how distinct our mission and calling are."

The installation and other inauguration activities will be an opportunity to build on the sense of community and purpose at HIU.

“As I prepare for my inauguration, I’m deeply grateful for the presidents who came before me — leaders whose care, vision, and faith have shaped this university into the community we know today,” President Turner said. “Building on their legacy, we remain committed to honoring God by cultivating thoughtful, compassionate leaders; advancing meaningful scholarship; and engaging our communities with openness and curiosity. I’m excited for us to keep moving toward our vision of becoming a premier center for interreligious learning and innovation — shaping the ideas and relationships that foster greater understanding, justice, and peace. There is so much possibility ahead, and I’m honored to step into this next chapter with all of you.”