This fall, the Oglethorpe community will come together to celebrate the inauguration of Dr. Kathryn McClymond as Oglethorpe University’s 18th president.  Students, faculty, staff, alumni and community friends will have many opportunities to join in the festivities through a series of special events planned September 19-20, 2024, to commemorate the occasion.

The two-day celebration begins with a focus on Oglethorpe’s strong academic tradition with a Faculty Lecture, September 19 at 11:30 a.m. in Lupton Auditorium. During this session, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Gabriel Barreneche will moderate a panel of faculty representing the work of Oglethorpe’s six academic divisions, through a robust discussion of the future of the new liberal arts. 

Following the lecture, all are invited to a BBQ lunch on the Academic Quad. 

On the afternoon of September 19, community members are encouraged to engage in a service project on the Oglethorpe campus. There will be opportunities for all to participate in the riparian revitalization of the creek on campus. 

On the morning of September 20, the formal Investiture Ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. in the Conant Performing Arts Center. The ceremony—steeped in campus tradition—will welcome visiting delegates from other universities, as well as Oglethorpe faculty, alumni and students in important elements of the ceremony. During the Investiture Ceremony, Dr. McClymond will be officially inducted as the first woman president of Oglethorpe University, and she will share her vision for the future. 

Following the ceremony, a Community Celebration Luncheon will take place on the Academic Quad. 

More information about these events, as well as the link to RSVP, can be found at president.oglethorpe.edu. 

Those who wish to make gifts to Oglethorpe in Dr. McClymond’s honor are invited to donate to the newly established Kathryn T. McClymond Scholarship Fund, an endowed fund that supports a merit-based scholarship for outstanding Oglethorpe students.