With a new four-point program now officially in place, Wallace Loh was officially inaugurated as the 33rd president of the university.
Loh’s inaugural speech expressed his excitement and anxiousness at becoming the next university president, but also addressed a new program he will be implementing focused on student opportunities and achievement, innovation and entrepreneurship, internationalization and service. With these four pillars, Loh said he hopes for his tenure as president to build upon the work of two former presidents in raising the university to greater heights.
“I accept the honor and responsibility of the presidency, but this is a charge for everyone to accept with me; that is the significance of this inauguration,” Loh said, “I assumed this office with humility because I stand on the shoulders of giants, President Kirwan and then President Mote, who made this university great.”
Brodie Remington, Vice President for University Relations and Chair of the Inaugural Committee, kicked off the ceremony, introducing faculty, staff, and community members to speak. Among them was Rep. Steny Hoyer, the Minority Whip in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“During my years this was a good university, but since we’ve left, year to year, decade to decade, we’ve become a greater university,” Hoyer said. “Today we celebrate another step to greatness.”
Hoyer discussed Loh’s background of being born in Shanghai and raised in Peru. He graduated high school at age 16 and came to the U.S. to attend college in Iowa with only $300—his parent’s life savings—in his pocket. He went on to earn a B.A. from Grinnell College, an M.A. from Cornell University, a Ph.D from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from Yale Law School. Previously dean of arts at Seattle University and then provost at the University of Iowa, he was also the chief policy advisor to Washington State Governor Gary Locke, who is now the U.S. Secretary of Commerce.
County, university, city and alumni association members all spoke, giving thanks to Loh’s initiative and leadership and welcoming him to the presidency. Student Government Association President Steve Glickman and Graduate Student Government President Anna Bedford also spoke about Loh.
“Even before he started officially here, he met with the SGA and wanted to meet students already,” Glickman said. “He wants to hear what each student has to say. He even walked around residence halls and dining halls during move-in in August to meet students.”
While university community members all mentioned how grateful they were for Loh coming to Maryland, Sally Mason, president of the University of Iowa, expressed her sadness to see Loh go after only a short time as provost.
“When Wallace came to our school, we could tell his past and professional background had formed a man who was value-driven and visionary,” Mason said, discussing how Loh had already helped in planning flood relief efforts for the Great Flood of 2008 before he had even officially started his position.
After being installed by Brit Kirwan, chancellor of the University System of Maryland and Clifford Kendall, chair of the university system’s Board of Regents, Loh was presented with a medallion and gave his response, focusing on his new program but also offering several personal anecdotes.
“If I applied to this university today, I regret to say I wouldn’t have been accepted,” Loh said. “I’m glad the standards for hiring the president are not as high as the standards for incoming freshman.”
Loh’s inaugural week included a speech by alumna and journalist Connie Chung, scholarship and educational conferences and the inauguration ceremony and reception, which the entire university community was invited to. The inaugural ceremony was a held in the Elsie and Marvin Dekelboum Concert Hall in the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, but was streamed live on the internet and broadcasted on the UMTV station.