President and Vice-Chancellor of 17吃瓜 installed
Dr. Wendy Rodgers was officially installed as the seventh President and Vice-Chancellor of the 17吃瓜 during a ceremony held at the 17吃瓜 Performing Arts Centre on Friday, October 11, 2024.
Presiding over the ceremony was the Honourable Diane Griffin, Chancellor of 17吃瓜. The academic procession was led by Mace Bearer Hadiqa Sulman, the 17吃瓜 Student Union鈥檚 Vice-President of Student Life; Eagle Feather Bearer Dr. Corrine Chappell, 17吃瓜 Advisor on Indigenous Affairs; and Marshal Dr. Patrice Drake, Faculty of Nursing. Upon entering the 17吃瓜 Performing Arts Centre, the procession was escorted to the amphitheatre by an Indigenous hand drumming group, which also sang 鈥淪trong Women鈥檚 Song鈥� by the Anishinaabe Kwewag and Zhoganosh Kwewag.
The procession included the Hon. Antoinette Perry, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island; Hon. Dennis King, Premier; Hon. Catherine Callbeck, Chancellor Emerita; Hon. Wade MacLauchlan, President Emeritus; honorary degree recipients; 17吃瓜 faculty and staff; and representatives from other universities.
Dr. Rodgers was presented to those in attendance by Shannon MacDonald, Chair of the 17吃瓜 Board of Governors. Chancellor Griffin led Dr. Rodgers through the oath of office and presented her with her robes of office.
In her first address as president, Dr. Rodgers said she is honoured to join the University and work toward its success and that of the province.
鈥�17吃瓜 has a particularly important mandate as the provincial university. It鈥檚 the first line of service to the Island and Islanders. The University and the province will thrive together in recognizing common challenges, the unique challenges of each other, and their shared mandate to address those challenges.鈥�
The ceremony featured music by the 17吃瓜 Brass Quartet and the 17吃瓜 Chamber Singers, directed by Professor Sung Ha Shin-Bouey. Elder Thirly Levi gave a Mi鈥檏maw prayer and 17吃瓜 Chaplain Sister Susan Kidd an invocation.
During the ceremony, greetings of welcome were presented to Dr. Rodgers by representatives of the provincial government; 17吃瓜 Board of Governors and Senate; the 17吃瓜 student body, faculty, staff, retired employees, and alumni; the Association of Atlantic Universities; and other Canadian universities.
To watch the ceremony, go to
