Inaugurated as the 13th President of The College of Wooster in the Scot Center on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, President Anne E. McCall opened her tenure by expressing heartfelt gratitude and sharing an inspiring vision for the community. During the formal induction ceremony, Sally Staley, chair of the College Board of Trustees, commended President McCall’s “dedication to academic freedom, her commitment to inclusive excellence, and her clear understanding of the challenges facing higher education.”
“Dr. McCall is passionately committed to the liberal arts and an inspiring advocate for expanding access to higher education for all who desire it,” Staley added as she presented McCall with the Key to Old Main. Forged into an emblem of continuity, the key was salvaged from the ruins of the College’s main academic building, which burned in 1901. Jaylin Hudson ’24, president of Scot Council; Carly Jones, assistant director of the Academic Resource Center and secretary of the Staff Committee; and Jennifer Bowen, dean for curriculum and academic engagement, carried the historic artifact forward for this momentous occasion.
Reflecting on the significance of the key, Hudson remarked, “It is our honour as representatives of the students, faculty, and staff to mark the inauguration of President McCall as a historic moment in the 157-year history of The College of Wooster community.” Bowen explained, “Bent by the heat of the fire but unbroken, this key symbolizes the continuity of Wooster’s mission and heritage.” The theme of learning from our history resonated throughout the ceremony, which is available to view here.
In her inaugural address, McCall reminded the audience that “benefitting as we do from past gifts to the future gives us insight into the orientation of our work together, work that builds on history and is unequivocally future-oriented.” She called on the College to “see in each other and to feel through our environment extraordinary intergenerational confidence”, reaffirming Wooster’s purpose “to engage in free inquiry, especially when it is uncomfortable.” She further challenged the community “to welcome an ever-expanding group of students into opportunities for knowledge creation and self-actualization, most especially to commit to their belonging when this disrupts structures and habits”. She urged everyone “to rekindle rich traditions of global dialogue within reshaped paradigms and structures.”
President McCall also reaffirmed The College of Wooster’s founding commitment to access and inclusion, acknowledging that “our path toward equity, belonging, and justice is incomplete.” She challenged the community to “redouble our outreach and invite new generations of students into our community—and do so potentially before, after, or outside of a traditional path to higher education.”
The traditional inauguration ceremony featured greetings and messages of support from alumni, local civic leaders, and the broader academic community. The Wooster Chorus delivered a moving performance of “I Was Love,” featuring text by Fenton Johnson and music by Jake Runestad. Representing the City of Wooster, Gabe Tudor, superintendent and CEO of Wooster City School District, remarked, “I am excited to observe and support Dr. McCall’s leadership and encourage us all to embrace this moment as a chance to grow and increase our collective impact on others.” Alumni Board President Angela Triplett ’06 added, “We know our student experience was no accident. Behind it all was thoughtful leadership, strategic partnership, and a steadfast commitment to excellence.”
Gilda Barabino, president of Franklin W. Olin College and a longtime colleague of Dr. McCall, spoke on behalf of the higher education community: “What the Academy needs, what The College of Wooster needs, is embodied in Anne McCall—a courageous, creative, and impactful leader who can inspire, innovate, and disrupt for the common good. The Academy also needs the type of intellectual inquiry, discovery, and forward-thinking brought to the liberal arts by The College of Wooster.”
Spiritual blessings for Dr. McCall’s tenure were offered in an invocation by the Rev. David A. Rice, trustee and pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Wooster, and in a closing benediction by Rabbi Joan S. Friedman, Lincoln Professor of Religion and chair of the History Department at the College. Among those in attendance were past presidents Grant Cornwell, Sarah Bolton, and Wayne Webster.
In addition to the inauguration itself, the weekend’s festivities included an academic panel series titled Celebrating Disruptions in the Liberal Arts, featuring guest speakers from diverse disciplines who encouraged the community to think boldly across fields. As part of the annual Black and Gold Weekend, alumni and families joined inauguration guests for a variety of events on campus. During the homecoming game, President McCall conducted the Scot Marching Band at the end of the first quarter and joined Archie at the finish line for a youth race. A full recap of the weekend’s events is available here.