President Laurie Leshin’s Inauguration
events will begin on Nov. 7. She is
shown here with a project team in Maine.
• The WPI community is gearing up for a weekend of fun, ceremony and history, with the inauguration of Laurie A. Leshin as 16th president of WPI on Nov. 8.
The inaugural festivities for President Leshin begin on Friday, Nov. 7, with Inspired to Innovate: A Future-Focused Conversation, a moderated dialogue among special guests from academia and industry. The president’s installation ceremony is set for the morning of Saturday, Nov. 8. That evening, the WPI community is invited to The Intergalactic Inaugural Ball, celebrating our place in the universe and the promise of the next 150 years. The inauguration ceremony is the pinnacle of two days of events celebrating this historic moment in WPI history, and launching the university’s Sesquicentennial Year.
But time is running out to register for these events. The deadline for registration is by the end of business day on Monday, Oct. 27, so organizers can plan appropriately for all guests. Registration and more information about President Leshin and Inaugural events can be found at leshin16.wpi.edu.
As WPI’s 16th president, President Leshin is committed to elevating WPI’s impact in communities worldwide. A self-described “space nerd,” she shares WPI’s love and pride for the father of modern rocketry, Robert H. Goddard, WPI Class of 1908.
In a recent video, President Leshin said, “We’ve got a strong foundation to build on and a great launching pad for the future. I think we can really turn up the volume of WPI around the world and increase the impact we’re having.
“… When I came to campus and really had the chance for some one-on-one personal conversations about people’s hopes and dreams for the institution, I realized that my own goals and hopes and dreams for WPI are really well aligned with this community.”
Chairman of the Board of Trustees and former interim president Phil Ryan spoke of Leshin’s coupling of academic and professional strengths and her facility in making personal connections. “She has that rare combination of academic excellence and great experience and success as a leader in a complex organization, and she marries that with the ability to connect and communicate so effectively with people at all levels.”
