On Sept. 9, Dr. Alan Miciak was officially inaugurated as the President of John Carroll University. The inauguration followed Miciak’s previous promotion to executive vice president of the university in March and the official announcement of his presidency in May. While Miciak took office on June 1, his inauguration did not follow until three months later. 

The inauguration ceremony consisted of multiple addresses and a campus-wide celebration. Matt Meyer ‘22, student body president of JCU, stated that the event was a “touching ceremony.” Meyer followed up by saying that “Dr. Miciak’s Inaugural Address was equally emotional and symbolic in our return to a sense of normalcy, hopefully driving further success amongst the JCU community.”

Miciak stated in a blog post that the inauguration was his “personal inheritance” and that he is “a most fortunate man.” During the speech, Miciak thanked the community and discussed his hopes for the future. The president promised to face challenges currently plaguing the JCU community and committed himself to “face and make vexing decisions and confront unwelcome change.” 

He stated that while the University is at a “crossroads,” he encourages the community to “affirm your own belief in this precious enterprise; in the slow, patient, inspired work of educating young women and men so that they may spark a new and forming world, and once established within that world serve a greater good.”

“In my inaugural address on Thursday, September 9, 2021, I noted that I am a most fortunate man to have the honor of serving as the 26th President of John Carroll University,” Miciak said to The Carroll News. “Inauguration day was tagged as A Day to Celebrate Inspired Futures because the day was not just about my installation, but rather about celebrating the future of our John Carroll community. The day began with the tradition of the Mass of the Holy Spirit and community luncheon.  At 4:00 p.m., we returned to the Church of the Gesu for the formal installation ceremony.  I was grateful to be surrounded by my loving wife, Ann, members of the Jesuit community, our Board of Directors, faculty, staff, students, and alumni as I was missioned to lead the work of John Carroll University. Technology allowed my daughter, Emma, and family members in England to join us via livestream.  The evening ended with the Inspired Futures Reception on campus for faculty, staff, and alumni.”

Current issues on campus include, but are not limited to, student involvement, the vaccine mandate, the tenure situation and other problems for both faculty and colleagues alike. Meyer stated that “there are a plethora of issues President Miciak and I will be addressing over the next few months.”

“Al is a very personable leader,” Meyer said. “He is very easy to work with, and interact with, regardless of what relationship, or lack thereof, you may have with him. I believe he will be a much more interactive president with the rest of the JCU community, inspiring more people to communicate with our leadership on campus.

“Watching Al work with the Board of Directors, as well as members of faculty and staff over the last few weeks has truly been inspiring. He is considerably capable in handling all the tasks of leading our community, at every organizational level. I believe that John Carroll will assuredly see a return to prosperity, and continue to grow well after my term is over.”

“While we have faced great challenges as a University, I am determined that we will continue to respond to the urgency of a particular moment with imagination and courage,” Miciak stated. “We must inspire our students to innovate to address the world’s greatest needs. We must all believe that everything is possible.”

The full inauguration ceremony can be viewed on YouTube.