Presidential Inauguration of Dr. Eugene J. Cornacchia

A Message from the President

I will be forever grateful to all of the members of the Saint Peter’s College Community for the tremendous inaugural celebration - - your outpouring of support, kindness and solidarity overwhelmed me and my family. We enjoyed every part of the inaugural activities – from the Inaugural Ball to the combined alumni-student concert and coffeehouse, from the outstanding lectures and service events to Saturday’s ceremonies. I am thankful for your kindness throughout all of the activities, evidenced in many ways – from congratulatory letters and other gestures of support, to the historic gift to the College in my name of an original score by Conductor Dr. Yi-Li Lin of the Hudson Symphony Orchestra in honor of this occasion in our history.

I wish to express my sincere appreciation to Dr. Eileen Poiani for her phenomenal work as chair of the Inauguration Committee; to all of the members of the committee for their excellent efforts; to the individuals and departments who executed the details that made the events so successful; and to the students, alumni and other community members who shared their talents and gifts throughout this inaugural celebration.

I have always been proud to be a member of Saint Peter’s, but now I am in awe of the tremendous generosity of spirit that exists in our community. In my inaugural speech, I concluded with the statement that, “I am thrilled to be the 22nd President of Saint Peter’s College.” May I now add that I am truly blessed to serve as your President.

Thank you once again for your great work, your deep kindness, and your never-ending generosity.

Eugene J. Cornacchia
President

Inauguration Speeches

Speeches from the Inauguration Ceremony are reprinted online.

Inauguration Photo Gallery

The Inaugural Celebration

This year marks the 135th anniversary of the founding of Saint Peter’s College. For just the 22nd time since opening its doors in 1872, the College has installed a new President on October 20, 2007.

A community celebration …. The formal inauguration of Dr. Eugene J. Cornacchia as President provides a special opportunity for members of the Saint Peter’s Community to come together to reflect on the College’s history, to reaffirm its mission, and to recommit to preparing students for learning, leadership and service. The inauguration and the events preceding the ceremony serve to celebrate the new leadership of Dr. Cornacchia and his vision for the future of Saint Peter’s College.

The inauguration also affirms the role of Saint Peter’s College locally, regionally, nationally, and indeed, globally. As is traditional for university inaugurations, members of the greater public will join the celebration to acknowledge Saint Peter’s special place in higher education.

The academic community … Delegates from colleges and universities from around the country are invited to march in the inaugural procession according to the founding date of their respective institutions. This tradition highlights the College’s long and impressive history: Saint Peter’s is the fifteenth oldest of the twenty-eight Jesuit colleges in the United States, and the seventh oldest independent institution of higher education in New Jersey. Saint Peter’s College maintains fifteen chapters of national honor societies, and representatives from these and other learned associations also are welcome. Their participation confirms the College’s commitment to the advancement of learning across the disciplines.

The greater public … Participating emissaries from the public sector, including elected officials and other city, county and state dignitaries, attest to the role of Saint Peter’s College in preparing students as future leaders in service to others.

Inaugural Logo and Theme

The inaugural logo proudly proclaims Saint Peter’s College history: “135 years of Jesuit Education.”

The inaugural theme contains four tenets of Jesuit education that frame our learning community:

Grounded in Reason… Learning is based in the study of the humanities and sciences and occurs in an environment that respects academic freedom and rigor, excellence in teaching and high standards.

Engaged in Service… Called to action, the educational experience encourages “men and women for others,” through engagement and collaboration with the wider community.

Committed to Justice … The transformative value of education promotes respect and concern for human life and dignity and a commitment to advancing peace and justice in our communities and the world.