Our Time in History is celebrated at the Inauguration
Graceland University has an illustrious past. For 113 years students have been transformed here and gone on to become leaders in society, in all walks of life. Their lives, their successes, the legacy they have provided Graceland, were celebrated during the inauguration of our seventeenth president, Dr. John Sellars.
Newly-inaugurated President Sellars singled out several from Graceland's accomplished alumni during his address to 700 guests in The Shaw Center for the Performing Arts, saying they were students who achieved much because of their character and values. But the university's legacy is the past and it was the present, and the future, that President Sellars primarily talked about. He talked about Our Time in History, the title of his address.
"We must honor the past," the president said. "Honor our core values...values that made this great university stand the tests of time." And he added, "This is our time. Time to reinforce those core values. Our time to nurture and cultivate leaders."
"We have a legacy of leaders," he said. "They rose to the challenges of their lives because they had character. They have taken up the mantle of leadership locally, nationally and internationally." He spoke of difficulties facing us all today and said it will be his challenge and the challenge of all Gracelanders to "...find opportunities for our students so they can become the leaders of tomorrow."
President Sellars has completed his first year at Graceland and he was installed officially during an inaugural ceremony attended by guests and dignitaries from many other universities and agencies, alumni from around the country, students, faculty and staff, as well as his own extended family, including his wife Bette. The Sellars have three children and nine grandchildren, though not all could be in attendance.
The president said he was humbled to now be a part of the "...great tradition of leadership" at Graceland. He reminded his guests that Graceland was founded in 1895 as a non-sectarian college, a place to cultivate leaders, leaders from any religious background. "This has always been a people's college, here to serve all." He said it will be his duty to make sure Graceland is open to any one who wants to attend here. And he asked alumni and friends to help in this great endeavor by providing endowed scholarship funds.
The president noted how he and Bette have had frequent lunches with groups of students at
Carmichael House, the presidential residence, and he said there is a strong desire among our students to "do good" in the world today. "They want to become involved in non-profit and service-to-humanity work. They want to save the environment and help the poor. And, they of course want to be the very best in their professions." In great part, the president credited Graceland's nurturing community, one-on-one help from a caring faculty, and the university's inclusive residential/social House system of total inclusivity for transforming our students into such committed and concerned individuals.
He said, "I have been here for a year. During my travels for Graceland I have heard this theme over and over. ‘Are we producing the leaders of tomorrow?' Because of our core values, wholeness and community, I can tell friends of Graceland that we are indeed sending forth the leaders of tomorrow."
The new president set a reflective yet contemporary tone during his address. He promised Gracelanders he would protect the legacy of our past but press on to the challenges of the future. "I often visit with alumni when they return to campus and they say they feel at home here. They say these grounds are not only home, but sacred space." He said he would work to preserve the sacred space of Graceland.
Sellars gave special thanks to Graceland's faculty, thanking them "for the quality of their work and commitment, for their love of teaching."
In conclusion he said, "The world faces immense challenges and Graceland graduates can make a difference. All of us must have a common vision of the future so our students can dream dreams of a better world. Together we will make them real. We're on a roll," he said. "It is our time in history."
Graceland Board of Trustees Chair Ken McClain presented welcoming remarks, first 
introducing President Sellars' family and then all of the distinguished guests in attendance, including former presidents Bill and Barbara Higdon, Gerald Knutson and Frank Hough, and former acting presidents Velma Ruch and Steve Anders. He noted the "common stewardship of higher education" Graceland has enjoyed with its sponsoring church, the Community of Christ. "They have been our moral compass over the last century," he said. "Welcome to a celebration of who we are," McClain said.
Student Nicky Kerr called for a future of "hope and possibility" during a thoughtful invocation. She prayed that Graceland students will continue in a proud tradition and have opportunities to "change the world."
Dr. Kenneth "Buzz" Shaw, Chancellor Emeritus and current professor at Syracuse University, gave the key address of the inaugural ceremony, honing in on a theme that resonated during the morning's Academic Symposium, a theme that would continue during Homecoming Weekend. He said, "Leadership is not a one-person thing. Graceland University will rise and fall on your collective efforts. You must pull together. You can‘t have too many adaptive leaders."
Dr. Shaw's address was titled A Call for Adaptive Leadership. He pointed to Graceland's past leaders and the leaders of today and said, "Adaptive leaders guide the institution to confront real problems in a very real way," and added, "You have an adaptive leader in John Sellars, an honest and caring person. John's passion and sophistication to provide leadership at this important time in history gives us cause for optimism." Shaw served as a university president for 30 years. He is an author and prolific writer, a great fundraiser and recognized as one of America's top college presidents. He also was one of our president's great mentors while Sellars served as VP for Institutional Advancement at Syracuse.
"Stick to your vision, your values," Shaw entreated the Graceland community. "They will continue to serve you well. Remember who you are and what got you to this point. Focus on learning, wholeness and community."
Shaw said, "John has the passion and competency to be a great leader for Graceland. Support him, support one another, and your students will become the adaptive leaders of the future." He added, "John and Graceland are a great match."
Dr. Gary Steinke, President of the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, brought greetings from the 29 other member institutions and said, "Graceland represents what is best about colleges in Iowa. All 30 have one thing in common...to put their students first. No one does that better than Graceland."
Steinke noted that when he first met President Sellars, he saw that Sellars was focused on two things. "He wanted to enhance the quality of education for students, and he wanted to give something back to the citizens of Iowa." He is hard at work on both goals, Steinke said.
In a word of praise for our new president, Steinke said, "I feel better as a person by just being around him."
Stephen Veazey, President of the Community of Christ, offered the "full support" of 
Graceland's sponsoring church, and the church's appreciation, to President Sellars. "We look forward to a positive, productive and mutually beneficial working relationship," he said.
President Veazey shared with those gathered his heartfelt hope that Graceland and the church will be prepared to guide the "growing number of youth who are responding to the call being sounded. Graceland is the preferred place for them to go to equip themselves educationally, morally and spiritually...to respond to that call."
He added, "The challenge is to continue with a long-range, compelling vision and the necessary focus to equip students with not just jobs, but vocations that help usher in the preferred future of human kind." And he said, "The church stands ready to offer their support."
Terra Paialii, student government president, challenged President Sellars with "...three simple concepts." Deliberate but don't be afraid to act, keep students as the central focus, and guide the university through current and future experiences.
She noted that this "small humble university now offers transformational experiences to students from all over the world. The new, recurring question becomes why do we stay? It is not only higher learning. We stay because we call this place home...home in the middle of everywhere....inspiring students from all around the globe."
Paialii called on the president to be prepared to change, as the seasons change, and by doing so bring to our students a "new experience called life."
Professor of Mathematics Stephen Murdock represented the faculty with three challenges to President Sellars, but first he recognized distinguished faculty Emerita Mary Beth Evans, who taught at Graceland for 36 years. Now in her late ‘80s, Evans continues to teach at Southern Mississippi University. "She exemplifies life-long learning," Murdock said.
Murdock talked about the long history of providing a liberal arts education at Graceland and challenged the president to "protect and defend this tradition." He said the Graceland faculty believes strongly that there is an enduring need to preserve the liberal arts tradition. He said the new president must focus also on "procurement and distribution of scarce but needed resources" to maintain a creative environment. And last, Murdock urged Sellars to do no harm by making unnecessary changes. "If it isn't broken, don't fix it," he quipped. "Think ahead as many moves as you can, to renew Graceland and position us for success, without breaking the successful systems that propelled us to where we are."
Alumni Board President Michael Lewis, with his inimitable sense of humor, evoked laughter with a Zen parable about living in the moment. He said that alumni "are ready to fall into line" when President Sellars "decides in his heart what is best for this great institution." He said, "Now, more than ever, thoughtful communication is important...include us in the conversation."
McClain and Jay Newcom, Vice Board Chair, then installed the new president and presented him to those present and those watching via video link on our Independence Campus, and around the world. McClain said, "In the name of all those who
love this institution, we welcome you to the rights and responsibilities of the office. You are so invested." He said, "Exercise your responsibility with honor and wisdom."
During a ceremony that included wonderful choral and orchestral music provided by Graceland faculty and students, Artist-in-residence, mezzo soprano Martha Hart then sang a 
lovely song titled Take Care of this House, which had been sung at the inauguration of former President Jimmy Carter.
President Emerita Barbara Higdon provided the benediction by thanking "all those who make Graceland possible...from those who cut the grass, cook the food, sweep the floors...all those who appreciate this place. We are all teachers and we are all learners....blessed by those among us who take on the challenge of leadership. We pledge to them our good will, our advice and our criticism. This is sacred work in which we are all engaged."
