The Inauguration Steering Committee

William F. Brandt Jr., chair

Diane Melby, vice chair

Ting-Yu Chen

Gina Daddario

Kari Frazier

Joy Graham

L. Janell Hoffman

Sue Jones

Kim Keckley

Peter Labrecque

Ann St. Clair Lesman

Mitchell Moore

Craig Richard

Mary Farland Shockey

Gerald F. Smith Jr.

James T. Vickers

First recited at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, June 26, 1995. Published by Random House in October 1995, and given to Shenandoah University by Dr. Maya Angelou on the occassion of President Tracy Fitzsimmons’ inauguration, September 2008.

We, the people, on a small and lonely planet

Traveling through casual space

Past aloof stars, across the way of indifferent suns

To a destination where all signs tell us

It is possible and imperative that we learn

A brave and startling truth.

And when we come to it

To the day of peacemaking

When we release our fingers

From fists of hostility

And allow the pure air to cool our palms

When we come to it

When the curtain falls on the minstrel show of hate

And face sooted with scorn are scrubbed clean

When battlefields and coliseum

No longer rake our unique and particular sons and daughters

Up with bruised and bloody grass

To lie in identical plots in foreign soil

When the rapacious storming of the churches

The screaming racket in the temples have ceased

When the pennants are waving gaily

When the banners of the world tremble

Stoutly in the good, clean breeze

When we come to it

When we let the rifles fall from our shoulders

And children dress their dolls in flags of truce

When land mines of death have been removed

And the aged can walk into evenings of peace

When religious ritual is not perfumed

By the incense of burning flesh

And childhood dreams are not kicked awake

By nightmares of abuse

When we come to it

Then we will confess that not the Pyramids

With their stones set in mysterious perfection

Nor the Gardens of Babylon

Hanging as eternal beauty

In our collective memory

Not the Grand Canyon

Kindled into delicious color

By Western sunsets

Nor the Danube, flowing its blue soul into Europe

Not the sacred peak of Mount Fuji

Stretching to the Rising Sun

Neither Father Amazon nor Mother Mississippi

      who, without favor,

Nurtures all creatures in the depths and on the shores

These are not the only wonders of the world

When we come to it

We, this people, on this minuscule and kithless globe

Who reach daily for the bomb, the blade and the dagger

Yet who petition in the dark for tokens of peace

We, this people, on this mote of matter

In whose mouths abide cankerous words

Which challenge our very existence

Yet out of those same mouths

Come songs of such exquisite sweetness

That the heart falters in its labor

And the body is quieted into awe

We, this people, on this small and drifting planet

Whose hands can strike with such abandon

That, in a twinkling, life is sapped from the living

Yet those same hands can touch with such healing,

     irresistible tenderness,

That the haughty neck is happy to bow

And the proud back is glad to bend

Out of such chaos, of such contradiction

We learn that we are neither devils nor divines

When we come to it

We, this people, on this wayward, floating body

Created on this earth, of this earth

Have the power to fashion for this earth

A climate where every man and every woman

Can live freely without sanctimonious piety

Without crippling fear

When we come to it

We must confess that we are the possible

We are the miraculous, the true wonder of this world

That is when, and only when

We come to it.

The first pharmacogenomics program at a pharmacy school in the entire country. A Grammy Award winner on our own faculty. The coveted AACSB accreditation for our Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business. The only nurse midwifery program in the Commonwealth of Virginia. An alumnus starring in “Jersey Boys” on Broadway. And, a current student starring in the movie “Hairspray.” A football team that has finally beaten Bridgewater – the first time since 1932.

An approach to global citizenship that actually pays for students to travel abroad. An 8-to-1 student to faculty ratio, among the lowest student-to-faculty ratios in the entire country. An environmental studies program that is working in partnership to clean up Abrams Creek and to protect the Shenandoah River. And, hundreds of talented, inspiring faculty paired with thousands of promising, incredibly creative students. This place called Shenandoah is truly full of magic.

My dear family and friends, mentors from years of old, fellow presidents and delegates, trustees and community members, distinguished alumni – whether you carried our banner during the Dayton years or the Winchester years or whether you’re from Leesburg campus – you honor me and you honor all Shenandoah faculty, staff and students today with your presence. Thank you for being here.

Inaugurations are designed to celebrate the magic of an institution and to imagine what the future holds for that institution. When each of us tries to imagine the future, we each get inspiration from different sources. Some of us daydream, some of us pray, some analyze our dreams, and some of us flip a coin. Some of us turn to fortune cookies. Or at least we used to.

Because, at one time, fortune cookies actually held fortunes. As we cracked open those little cookies, out slipped a magical white piece of paper foretelling what would happen at some future time. Things like, “Someone from your past will appear again soon” or “Tomorrow will be a very important day for you.” Not anymore.

If fortune cookies are any indicator, societal norms and expectations have taken a disturbing turn. Now fortune cookies hold not fortunes but platitudes. Feel good, let-me-reinforce-how-wonderful-you-are shallow statements of fact, humor or praise. Things like, “You are kind and friendly,” “Life to you is a dashing and bold adventure,” “You get what you want through your brains and charm” or, a recent favorite of mine, “Smile if you like this fortune cookie.” Have we really become a society that eschews fortunes in favor of flattery?

It is our educational system that is called to lead us away from such self-gratification, such platitudes; to lead us away from the empty life to the inspired life: a life of substance and intellectual rigor, creativity and service.

For 15 months, people have asked about my vision for Shenandoah University. Well, my vision is sort of like music and, as Warren Benson, a professor of composition at the Eastman School of Music, said, “Music lives in three tenses at once: developing what comes before it in the past, it engages us in the present, and it inspires our hopes for the future”

Our past has been a good one. I stand on the shoulders of giants: the past presidents, the faculty and staff and alumni who have worked so hard on behalf of this institution. In recognition of those presidents, who spent countless hours building this institution, I have had the Chain of Office slightly altered. It now includes the names and years of service of all 15 past presidents of Shenandoah University, so I can carry our history from college to college and conservatory to the university on me. And, for anyone who might wonder if [immediate past president] James Davis is still going to be connected to the university, let me assure you, Jim. Davis is right here perched on my shoulder.

When I go to the beach, I put my academic materials away, and I enjoy some easy, light reading. I love Pat Conroy. In one book he wrote, “Imagination is knowing what you want and where to go to find it.” Well, to that end, I organized a university-wide – actually a community-wide – strategic planning process. Shenandoah is strong enough now that we have the luxury – we have the mandate – of stopping to hear what everyone thinks we should be doing. So we talked to faculty and staff and students. We talked to trustees and community leaders. We heard from alumni and parents about what they want and, to paraphrase Pat Conroy, for Shenandoah, imagination is knowing what we, collectively, want, and it is our job to know where to go to find it.

This is culminating in a five-year plan we will launch next week, and I’m eager to share the details. But today I’m just going to touch on some highlights.

Academic excellence will come first at Shenandoah. We will increase our commitment to an investment in student learning, in faculty scholarship and teaching and performance and service and in staff development. We will increase opportunities for faculty and staff and students to travel, to perform, to do research and clinical work. We will implement a new advising proposal that came forward from the faculty senate. And, in the spirit of Jorge Luis Borges who said, “I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library,” we will increase and broaden our electronic and print library holdings.

Shenandoah, as the faculty desires, will have a center for teaching excellence to support them, to support you, in their drive to be better teachers and more multi-faceted teachers. While face-to-face classes and Winchester will always be the core – will always be the heart of Shenandoah – we will expand our offerings in Loudoun County, and we will make sure academic excellence is accessible to people with varying needs through hybrid and non-traditional delivery systems.

We have grown strong, we have built buildings and enrollment over the last many years, and I will care for that well. Will we grind to a halt? No. Not even in this challenging economy. But, we will pause briefly to catch our breath. We will pause briefly to appreciate what we have and to build on our strengths. We cannot be all things to all peoples. I look forward to limited growth that will be strategic and by design, assuring first we have the infrastructure and the human capital necessary to give each and every student the best educational experience possible.

Shenandoah will be a mid-sized university to retain the intimacy and the personal touch so many students have told me they value. To be much bigger, frankly, would be a disservice to the local community. Shenandoah University would become the 400-pound elephant in the community instead of the cultural and creative and intellectual leader it is and always should be. Certainly there will be growth of the physical plant. We have many needs still across the institution but, and there is a “but,” new buildings cannot take precedence over building the endowment and lowering our debt servicing. We need to do both to ensure the long-term financial strength of Shenandoah, to continue the beautiful legacy built by Jim Davis, past presidents and our faculty and staff, and to ensure that the value of a Shenandoah degree continues to compound over time for each of our alumni.

I will continue to teach one course a year, because teaching keeps me in touch with our students are, what our faculty is doing and, frankly, teaching is what I most love to do.

Over the years, most of my teaching has been related to democracy, or processes to get to democracy. When I graduated from Princeton, I went on a Rotary International graduate scholarship to Chile. For a student of politics, I could not have arrived in Chile at a better time: witnessing the first presidential election in 19 years in Chile, being present for the rebirth of a democracy and growing to know and love the people of Chile who were hungry to return to an open political system. As we got closer to the elections, when it became clear the military would indeed accept the outcome no matter what it was, it was clear democracy was again coming to Chile, a country which prides itself in being a model of democracy throughout Latin America.

There was a Chinese restaurant I loved in the town where I lived. As the election approached, I knew there was a sense of certainty because of the fortune cookies they served. Fortunes like, “Democracy will rise again,” or “Chileans will take back the great boulevards of the country,” which is of course a reference to former President [Salvador] Allende’s final radio address in 1973 before he died. Or, “Never again will this happen.” The latter is a reference to how committed people were in the country to ensure an authoritarian regime would never rise again. Even toward the end of the dictatorship the impression was palpable.

As an American student, there were challenges finding people who were willing to be interviewed on the record about the authoritarian regime. There were challenges going to the national library archives, spending hours to find the right document or book I was looking for only to find the whole chapter I needed had been torn out or had been blacked out with the censorship of the regime. I was so hungry to hear from my professors and fellow students, but they had long ago learned to be careful about what they said.

People in many parts of Latin America lived for years in fear that a fellow student, a professor, a sibling, a parent or a child might report them for being against an authoritarian or totalitarian regime and then they might not be here tomorrow. So the class discussions were stilted. All of the ways we look to be good citizens in a democracy being informed, being active, engaged were constrained or outlawed. And, you can imagine the great appreciation that gave me for living in a democracy.

Because citizenship is central to Shenandoah’s mission statement, the second fortune I offer is that Shenandoah will be seen as a leader in inspiring students to become good local and global citizens. We take that as a broad approach. We want our students and alumni to be active, contributing members of their many, many communities. For us it also means the university itself needs to be a good citizen in the way we offer things to ourselves and our community. We will expand the Global Citizenship Project. We will increase the number of international students studying at Shenandoah University and the number of Shenandoah University students studying abroad.

We will be a strong partner for Winchester and all the surrounding counties – for the local school systems and health system, places of worship and the many orgs and companies that keeps us a vibrant and welcoming place to live. We will do more than our part to call and prepare and send future leaders of the church and of the community, and we will do so while welcoming and embracing all faiths and a diversity of peoples, an ideal that is very strong within the United Methodist Church. Our affiliation, of course, is very strong with the church. And we will get students to activate their citizenship by voting. This past August, I worked with the SGA to announce an initiative to get every sing eligible student, faculty and staff member to vote. At least to register. We don’t care who they vote for, we just want them to voice their opinions, to let themselves be heard, to get into the habit of voting now. A habit that should never end.

It’s amazing how controversial that turns out to be. I’ve heard people say “Oh, Virginia’s a swing state, and Shenandoah is trying to get the students to vote. Students usually vote to the left.” I’ve also heard people say, “Oh, she must have a faculty member in line to run for public office.” I guarantee you, this is not true. We are not trying to enter into local politics, and we are not taking any political stances outside of perhaps issues related to education here. It is simply the deep value of being able to vote.

The best education demands all sorts of things that are, in fact, endemic to a democracy. An open exchange of ideas, unbridled creative energies, an untethered intellect and a collective sense of truth and memory – something we frequently take for granted. I want to take you back to many parts of Latin America – it could be El Salvador, it could be Chile or Guatemala in the 1970s and ’80s, when you weren’t allowed to meet in groups. Certainly not groups that would talk about political or social issues. Except for women, who don’t seem so threatening. They frequently were able to fly under the radar in Latin America in women’s cooking groups or women’s sewing cooperatives. They were just sewing, and chatting. “So, how is your family.” “Great, great.” “Having fun?” “Yes.” “How is your son?” “Oh…he’s fine.” “Really? I haven’t seen him around much.” “Well, actually, I’m not really sure where he is. I’m sure he’s off traveling in the south or something. He’ll come back, but I don’t really know where he is.” And, then the woman across the circle says, “My husband’s been gone for two days, and I know it’s not because of another woman.” Then, the stories start coming out about the people who are missing in the community, and one quiet little voice says, “I know it sounds crazy, but I swear I thought I saw a body floating down the river last week.” “I’m sure it was just a log.” And another woman looks down while she’s sewing and says, “I saw it, too.”

Pretty soon, they start sharing stories of how deeply afraid they were and how nice it is to finally be able to share these stories, because they had been alone for days or weeks harboring this fear that their loved ones were gone and missing and might never come back, that there were bodies floating down the creek or someone seen tortured and left for dead in the streets. In America, we would go to the police. In most communities, we feel like we go to the police and we can do that with safety and security. But if you’re in a society where you fear they may have something to do with these disappearances, you are alone. The empowering movement of these women, they weren’t just sewing, they were creating a common history. They were creating a common memory, a common truth and reaffirming their identity and as Amy Tan says, “Memory feeds imagination.”

The creation of a collective truth and understanding of who we are and the ability to talk about it is very important and, in that spirit, fortune number three for Shenandoah is very simply: Shenandoah will become our name, we will be Shenandoah. Shenandoah University will not just be in the valley, but we will be of this valley. We will protect the culture and the heritage and the environment of this beautiful place. We already enjoy a strong relationship with the city of Winchester and the surrounding counties but we will further demonstrate our commitment to being a good partner in the preservation of valley history, of old town development, of economic and environmental sustainability and yes, even in the protection of Southern culture.

After I was named president, Jim Davis and I sat down and agreed to commit our signatures to American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment. We believe it is possible to be a good environmental citizen while also being fiscally responsible, and we will step up our education programs and actions to do our part to help protect this planet. The name itself, Shenandoah, evokes thoughts of nature and beauty and spirituality. We will build the strongest outdoor education and recreational program at a university in the mid-Atlantic region. In fact, we have already begun to do this. Athletic teams went out rafting or canoeing earlier this year. We’ve offered hiking trips, camping trips, rock climbing trips, horseback riding trips.

This winter, our physical therapy students will learn to be adaptive ski instructors. We are working with Outward Bound to integrate their classes with our degree programs with the dream of being able to offer an Outward Bound MBA and an Outward Bound masters in occupational therapy someday.

I hope people will come to think Shenandoah – river, valley, university. Becoming our name and celebrating our Shenandoah roots, gives us a common story grounded in the valley, a strength and set of values to will serve our students well as they flow forth from here, like the river, to the Chesapeake and beyond.

The inauguration theme is fabulous but, when you think about it, “Imagine and Inspire” is most easily realized in a democracy, without constraints attached. At a university, academic freedom is about giving the faculty space to be their most creative and imaginative selves and to allow spaces for dissent as well. Such spaces serve to reinforce the democratic culture, not to undermine it. I’m proud to be a citizen of a country in which, when we’re facing an economic crisis for instance, no one worries the Pentagon will coup and take over the White House. I bet there’s not a person in this room who has thought of that as a possibility. But yet, that is a concern that still afflicts many countries in the world today. We resolve our problems through the voting booth, if you think there are problems, not through the military.

I thank each and every one of you for being part of the magic of Shenandoah and the magic of these last two days, which began with dear Dr. Maya Angelou’s and her wonderful voice saying, “Shenandoah.” I could’ve listened to her say that for hours. Our terrific gala concert last night showcased our talent and we did it again today with a world-class orchestra and an arrangement created by Jay Chattaway just for today. The student center was a rocking last night, and I have to tell you how empowering it is to dance to “I Will Survive” with about 100 women students and faculty and staff. Yesterday we had “This I Believe” with NPR’s Jay Allison as well, which gave us with the opportunity to hear from students and faculty and trustees about what they deeply believe in.

And, because turnaround is fair play, I’m going to end by telling you what I believe. If I had written a “This I Believe” essay, it would’ve gone something like this: As for me, I believe in “Die Hard.” Yep, my favorite movie is that over-the-top, shoot-em-up, full-of-testosterone movie called “Die Hard.” I know it sounds like a bit of a stretch for a strong-willed vegetarian woman with a leaning toward non-violence, but at its heart, that movie and Bruce Willis’s character are all about good conquering evil. Call me old-fashioned, but I still believe in that storyline. I also believe every one of us involved in education believes in the storyline, too. We believe we can transform students’ lives, we can work in partnership to improve our communities, we can take steps towards a more peaceful world, and empowering the underdog is a noble adventure. Yippee ki-ay! To Shenandoah students of today and tomorrow, I commit to you that together with the faculty, staff, trustees and alumni of this great university, I will do everything possible to ensure your educational fortune cookie says, “You will imagine, inspire and achieve great things. May the beauty and the magic of the three Shenandoahs – river, valley and university – rest deep within you.

In the words of Dr. Maya Angelou, “May Shenandoah inspire each one of us to be the rainbow coming from the clouds, bringing light to a better world.”

– President Tracy Fitzsimmons, Sept. 26, 2008

An Introduction to Tracy Fitzsimmons

“The university is an incubator for democracy…We’re training people to be good contributing citizens. The days are long past that any of us can think of ourselves as citizens of just one community.” Hear President Tracy Fitzsimmons talk about her passions and ideals. Learn more about her and her dreams for Shenandoah University and its students.

There is a lot to say about Shenandoah University President Tracy Fitzsimmons and many aspects of her inauguration in late September 2008. Click on the press release headlines below to read more, and check this site often for new information.

Newspaper and magazine editors are welcome to reprint these press releases.

Members of the media who need more information about inauguration events or who would like to arrange a campus visit for the inauguration should contact Assistant Director of Public Relations Cathy Kuehner at 540.678.4327 or ckuehner@su.edu Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST).

Shenandoah University educates and inspires individuals to be critical, reflective thinkers; lifelong learners; and ethical, compassionate citizens who are committed to making responsible contributions within a community, a nation and the world.

Core Values

• Development of an enduring passion for learning
• Commitment to self-reflection and personal development
• Respect for diverse cultures, experiences and perspectives
• Celebration of creative performance, expression, teaching and discovery
• Cultivation of leadership to advance positive change and growth
• Dedication to citizenship, professional services and global outreach

Foundation
Shenandoah University distinguishes itself by providing opportunities to gain knowledge and develop skills in a collaborative, personalized environment that intertwines professional and liberal learning. A Shenandoah education incorporates scholarship, experiential learning and sophisticated technologies, as well as practical wisdom. As an institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Shenandoah University practices the highest ethical standards in its interactions with the community and with students of all faiths. Within a community of scholars, Shenandoah promotes the welfare of the whole person by fostering a nurturing environment in which students learn, grow and flourish.

In 2002, the director of the Handley Regional Library in Winchester, Va., and the superintendent of the City of Winchester schools called together a group of community partners, including Shenandoah University - represented by Dr. Tracy Fitzsimmons - to bring the nationally recognized One Book, One City concept to the area. Since the program was to include Winchester, Frederick and Clarke counties, the name One Book, One Community was chosen.

The Shenandoah University community has supported this program from the beginning, and this year, the One Book, One Community project strengthens that connection.

“This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women,” a printed collection of essays, is the 2008 One Book, One Community selection for the City of Winchester and Frederick and Clarke counties community. In addition to reading the book, community members - including students, faculty and staff at Shenandoah — are being asked to submit their own “This I Believe” essays. The book’s editor and NPR host Jay Allison will be at Shenandoah University on Thursday, Sept. 25, as a guest speaker during inauguration events. A handful of submitted essays will be selected and presented by their authors and Allison on stage during his presentation.

(See “How to submit an essay for ‘This I Believe’ at the bottom of this page.)

The first One Book, One Community selection in 2003 was Homer Hickam’s “Rocket Boys.” The second book was “Seabiscuit” by Laura Hillebrand. The 2005 book was “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” by Mark Haddon. “Wish You Well” by David Baldacci was the 2006 book, and the 2007 selection was “On Agate Hill” by Lee Smith.

The intended goals of the One Book, One Community program are to promote reading as a fun and meaningful part of everyday life; to unite the community around a common activity and a discussion of important issues; to build bridges of understanding among people of diverse ages, social, economic, and racial backgrounds; and to bring together business and education-related interests to serve a common goal.

One Book, One Community sponsors include The Winchester Star newspaper, First Bank, Berryville Graphics and Peggy Hahn.

One Book, One Community partners include Borders Books, Clarke County (Va.) Schools, Friends of Handley Regional Library, Frederick County (Va.) Schools, Handley Regional Library, Literacy Volunteers of America, Lord Fairfax Community College, Magic Lantern Theater, Powhatan School, Shenandoah University, Winchester Book Gallery, Winchester-Frederick County Chamber of Commerce, Winchester City Schools and WMRA radio.

“One Book” projects, initiated by the Washington Center for the Book in 1998, are organized in cities and towns across the U.S. and around the world.

To submit an essay for “This I Believe”

Go to www.thisibelieve.org/essaywritingtips.html or go to the Handley Regional Library “One Book” Web page at http://www.hrl.lib.state.va.us/handley/beyondbooks.asp?loc=4 and select “Write Your Own Essay.” When you choose “Information on Submitting Your Own Essay,” you need to accept the “This I Believe” submission forms. You may then fill out a form which will include your essay and some information about yourself. If possible, on the second address line, include information that affiliates you with Winchester’s One Book, One Community project. For instance, you could write “One Book/Shenandoah student” or “OneBook/Shenandoah faculty” or “One Book/Winchester resident.” Read the “This I Believe” Privacy Policy. Be brief - 350 to 500 words - and be positive. State what you believe, not what you do not believe.

You can write your own essay and submit it to the “This I Believe” organization. Essays will be reviewed for potential broadcast on National Public Radio (NPR).

You can also share them with One Book, One Community at thisibelieve@hrl.lib.state.va.us and read them at an open mic session on Saturday, July 12, at 2 p.m. at Borders Books at 2420 S. Pleasant Valley Road in Winchester. Those who submit an essay may have an opportunity to have their essay published in a collection produced by the One Book, One Community committee.

“This I Believe” is an international project engaging people in writing, sharing and discussing the core values that guide their daily lives. These short statements of belief, written by people from all walks of life, are archived here and featured on public radio in the United States and Canada, as well as in regular broadcasts on NPR. The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow.

Note: Writing tips as well as sample essays from local residents are available at http://www.hrl.lib.state.va.us/Handley/One%20Book%20One%20Community/Essay%20page.htm

The inauguration theme, “Imagine and Inspire,” perfectly suits Shenandoah University, where students find inspiration all around and are encouraged to imagine limitless possibilities. Those two words also define President Tracy Fitzsimmons, who is passionate about education and the endless ways it sparks imagination and inspiration.

The popular NPR series “This I Believe” is, therefore, the perfect complement for the inauguration festivities at Shenandoah University this fall. Members of the Shenandoah and Winchester communities are being asked to submit “This I Believe” essays, and series host Jay Allison will be on campus on Thursday, Sept. 25, for a special afternoon program. (See “How to submit an essay for ‘This I Believe’ at the bottom of this page.) “This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women,” a printed collection of essays, is also the 2008 One Book, One Community selection for the City of Winchester and Frederick and Clarke counties community. (See “One Book, One Community” link.)

“This I Believe” is a national media project engaging people in writing, sharing and discussing the core values and beliefs that guide their daily lives. NPR airs these three-minute essays on “All Things Considered,” “Tell Me More” and “Weekend Edition Sunday.”

“This I Believe” is based on a 1950s radio program of the same name, hosted by acclaimed journalist Edward R. Murrow. In creating “This I Believe,” Murrow said the program sought “to point to the common meeting grounds of beliefs, which is the essence of brotherhood and the floor of our civilization.” Each day, millions of Americans gathered by their radios to hear compelling essays from the likes of Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Robinson, Helen Keller and Harry Truman as well as corporate leaders, cab drivers, scientists and secretaries - anyone able to distill into a few minutes the guiding principles by which they lived. Their words brought comfort and inspiration to a country worried about the Cold War, McCarthyism and racial division.

In spite of the fear of atomic warfare, increasing consumerism and loss of spiritual values, the essayists on Murrow’s series expressed tremendous hope. “We hear a country moving toward more equality among the races and between genders,” said “This I Believe” series producer Dan Gediman. “We hear parents writing essays that are letters to their newborn children expressing the hopes and dreams they have for them. And we hear the stories of faith that guide people in their daily experiences.”

“As in the 1950s, [the 21st century] is a time when belief is dividing the nation and the world,” said Jay Allison, the “This I Believe” series host. “We are not listening well, not understanding each other - we are simply disagreeing or worse. Working in broadcast communication, there’s a responsibility to change that, to cross borders, to encourage some empathy. That possibility is what inspires me about this series.”

In reviving “This I Believe,” Allison and Gediman say their goal is not to persuade Americans to agree on the same beliefs. Rather, they hope to encourage people to begin the much more difficult task of developing respect for beliefs different from their own. “This I Believe” is independently produced by This I Believe, Inc. in Louisville, Ky., and Atlantic Public Media in Woods Hole, Mass.

“This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women” is available for purchase online and at local bookstores, including Winchester Book Gallery, Borders and Books-A-Million. The Shenandoah University libraries have copies on reserve. Winchester’s Handley Regional Library has more than 25 copies available for check-out as well as the downloadable audio book.

How to submit an essay for “This I Believe”

Go to www.thisibelieve.org/essaywritingtips.html or go to the Handley Regional Library “One Book” Web page at http://www.hrl.lib.state.va.us/handley/beyondbooks.asp?loc=4 and select “Write Your Own Essay.” When you choose “Information on Submitting Your Own Essay,” you need to accept the “This I Believe” submission forms. You may then fill out a form which will include your essay and some information about yourself. If possible, on the second address line, include information that affiliates you with Winchester’s One Book, One Community project. For instance, you could write “One Book/Shenandoah student” or “One Book/Shenandoah faculty” or “One Book/Winchester resident.” Read the “This I Believe” privacy policy. Be brief – 350 to 500 words – and be positive. State what you believe, not what you do not believe.

A presidential inauguration is a time to celebrate and, at a university like Shenandoah, the celebration is a community event. For 48 years, Shenandoah has been an integral part of the Winchester and northern Shenandoah Valley communities. The inauguration of its 16th president is a time to reaffirm that close relationship, and you are invited to the party!

Mark your calendar now - saving Sept. 25 and 26 - and check this Web site often, as events will be added and updated.

All classes will be held as scheduled on Thursday, Sept. 25. It is the responsibility of each faculty member to decide whether to hold class or attend an inauguration event with his/her students. Classes are canceled from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26, so everyone can enjoy the inauguration festivities on main campus.

The Inauguration Steering Committee is currently accepting requests for tickets to specific inauguration events. Tickets to inauguration events will be distributed to invited inauguration guests first. Please complete the reply card that came with your invitation and return it in the envelope provided as soon as possible. Inauguration tickets will be mailed to you.

The Inauguration Steering Committee will begin distributing tickets to others in the community after Aug. 30, 2008, on a first-come, first-served basis. Follow the link at the bottom of this page for more ticket information.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 25, 2008

11 a.m. to noon
Tent on Brandt Student Center Soccer Field
A Morning with Maya Angelou
The Pulitzer Prize nominated author, historian, civil rights activist, actress, producer and director speaks at Shenandoah University. TICKETS REQUIRED

Noon to 12:45 p.m.
Boxed Lunch
No need to leave campus between Dr. Angelou and the next speaker, Jay Allison; lunch is served. TICKETS REQUIRED

1 to 3 p.m.
Tent on Brandt Student Center Soccer Field
“This I Believe” with NPR Host Jay Allison
The National Public Radio host and independent journalist shares stories from the highly acclaimed series and companion book “This I Believe.” Members of the Shenandoah and Winchester community who submitted “This I Believe” essays will join Allison onstage for readings. (See “Inauguration Guests & Community” link for more details.) TICKETS REQUIRED

7:30 p.m.
Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre
Imagine & Inspire: An Artistic Celebration of Shenandoah
A wonderfully eclectic mix of world music, vocal and instrumental performances, dance and theatre performed by students, faculty and guests embodies the spirit and diversity of Shenandoah University. TICKETS REQUIRED

8:30 p.m.
Brandt Student Center
Inauguration Gala: After-Concert Dessert Party
Black tie optional, but elegant attire is encouraged for a festive event featuring the Shenandoah Conservatory Jazz Ensemble. TICKETS REQUIRED

FRIDAY, SEPT. 26, 2008

9:30 a.m.
Processional Robing and Line-up
Delegates, alumni representatives, the platform party and special guests will be assisted by Inauguration event staff.

11 a.m.
Tent on Brandt Student Center Soccer Field
Installation Ceremony: Inauguration of President Tracy Fitzsimmons
Features virtuoso trumpet artist Jens Lindemann with the Shenandoah Conservatory Orchestra performing a new work commissioned for the Inauguration, Shenandoah Fantasy for Trumpet and Orchestra, by Jay Chattaway, with the composer conducting.

Immediately following the ceremony
Picnic on the Quad
Featuring live music, wonderful food and friendship.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 27, 2008

TBA
The Spiritual Life Team, Shenandoah students and other volunteers from the community will package 30,000 meals in one day to help feed the hungry.

Inauguration ticket information

1875
Shenandoah High School opens in Dayton, Va., with the Rev. D. P. Funkhouser as proprietor and Professor J. Newton Fries as principal.

1876
School is renamed Shenandoah Seminary and chartered; Virginia Conference of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ began sending an annual visiting committee to monitor its progress.

1884
The Conference votes to purchase Shenandoah Seminary from its private owners and re-chartered it as Shenandoah Institute.

1886-1893
Shenandoah Institute experiences rapid growth in facilities, programs and student body. The addition of James H. Ruebush to the staff stimulated the growth of a strong music tradition.

1902
Shenandoah is renamed Shenandoah Collegiate Institute and School of Music.

1909
James H. Ruebush, previously head of the music department, becomes head of the institution and given the title general manager instead of principal.

1915
The Virginia State Board of Education fully accredits the high school department, which ceases operation in 1937.

1924
The certification of a junior college curriculum paves the way for a change in name from Collegiate Institute to College in 1925.

1937
The board of trustees authorizes the separate incorporation of Shenandoah Conservatory of Music in order that it might offer four-year degrees in music and music education.

1944
Conservatory of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

1946
The Church of the United Brethren in Christ becomes part of the Evangelical United Brethren (EUB) Church, and a study group recommends closing Shenandoah College and Shenandoah Conservatory of Music because of its financial instability.

1953-54
Discussions between James R. Wilkins and Shenandoah’s President Troy Brady pave the way for the relocation of the institution to Winchester in 1960 with approval of both the General Conference and the Virginia Annual Conference of the EUB church.

1956
Winchester-Frederick County Chamber of Commerce launches Shenandoah College Building Fund Drive. Dr. Forrest S. Racey becomes president of Shenandoah College and Shenandoah Conservatory of Music and oversees the move to Winchester.

1958
Ground is broken for the new campus.

1960
The board of trustees purchases 12 acres of land for future expansion.

1968
The EUB Church participates in United Methodist merger and Shenandoah finds new support for expansion.

1969
Dr. Robert P. Parker takes over as president and continues the development of the Winchester campus.

Shingleton Health and Physical Education Building opens.

1974
The college and conservatory become a single institution - Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music - with four divisions that are the beginning of the Conservatory, the School of Arts & Sciences, the School of Health Professions and the Harry F. Byrd Jr. School of Business.

1978
Ground is broken for Goodson Chapel/Recital Hall.

The first graduate programs are put in place for master of music education and master of business administration.

1981
The first graduate degrees are awarded.

1982
The board of trustees selects James A. Davis as Shenandoah’s 15th president.

Shenandoah now offers 11 undergraduate programs and two graduate programs.

1983
The official inauguration for President Davis is held on April 9. Special guests include former Shenandoah presidents Wade S. Miller, Troy R. Brady, Forrest S. Racey and outgoing president Robert Parker. Davis immediately begins the most spectacular growth period in Shenandoah’s history.

Shenandoah acquires the John Kerr Building in downtown Winchester for just $10 and then begins an $850,000 restoration project to save the c. 1883 structure. The building serves as the new home for the Allied Health program and the Gallagher Community Arts Center.

The business school is named the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business to honor Senator Byrd, who is also a distinguished professor in the school.

Shenandoah purchases an additional 18 acres of land east of I-81.

Gore Hall, a 60-bed residence hall, is constructed and opened.

Construction begins to enlarge the dining hall.

Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre, the only professional musical theatre in the Shenandoah Valley, opens its inaugural season with “Shenandoah.”

1985
The cafeteria is enlarged and renamed the Joseph & Evelyn Allen Dining Hall.

1987
The successful $10 million Campaign for Shenandoah concludes well ahead of its schedule.

Dorothy Ewing Studio of Dance is constructed thanks to donations from Ms. Ewing and her friend Mary K. Aulick.

School of Nursing is renamed the Eleanor Wade Custer School of Nursing.

Ground is broken for Mary M. Henkel Hall.

1988
Mary H. Henkel Hall - home to the Harry F. Byrd Jr. School of Business — is constructed.

Enrollment hits 1,000 students for first time.

1989
Shenandoah begins program planning for a master’s program in Physical Therapy.

1990
Shenandoah opens a Northern Virginia Campus facility in Leesburg, offering degree and non-degree programs for adult students.

Wilkins Building is expanded; new addition on north end houses offices for admissions, financial aid, business and the president.

1991
Shenandoah College and Conservatory becomes Shenandoah University on Jan. 1.

Shenandoah moves from the Eastern States Athletic Conference to the Dixie Conference (now USA South Conference). The university becomes associates in the conference in 1992 and full-time in 1993.

McCormick Civil War Institute and the Blue Ridge Institute for Environmental Studies are formed.

Construction begins on Harry Aikens Field behind Parker Hall, requiring tons of fill dirt.

Shenandoah adds programs in Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy.

1992
Alson H. Smith Jr. Library constructed and dedicated in September.

The Durell Institute of Monetary Science begins operations in the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business. (Durell Institute is later located in the Alson H. Smith, Jr. Library)

Shenandoah University registers its Internet domain name, www.su.edu.

University’s Physical Therapy program is accredited.

Athletics adds men’s lacrosse; the team plays its first game in 1993.

1993
Shenandoah buys the C&P Telephone substation building on Millwood Avenue and uses it as the conservatory’s costume shop.

University admits the first students into its Occupational Therapy program. First class of Physical Therapy students graduate.

The Lin Rong-San Institute for Journalism is formed.

1994
The Durrell Foundation awards the university’s Durell Institute of Monetary Science a $4 million 10-year grant.

The Center for Organizational Excellence is formed.

Shenandoah University’s newspaper - The SUN - is established and begins weekly publication.

Athletics adds women’s lacrosse; the team plays its first game in 1995.

1995
SU is approved to offer the Doctor of Pharmacy and the Doctor of Musical Arts in Education degrees.

SU adds program in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).

Athletics adds cross country for men and women.

1996
The Health Professions Building, leased by Shenandoah, opens on the campus of the Winchester Medical Center. It is home to SU’s nursing, respiratory care and pharmacy programs.

Shenandoah admits its first class of Doctor of Pharmacy students - 63 in all.

Construction begins on new building and theatre for Shenandoah Conservatory.

Working out of space in Handley High School, WCT cable television debuts on Feb. 14. WCT is a partnership between Shenandoah University, the City of Winchester and the Winchester Public Schools

The Chaplain’s Office organizes the first Spring Break Mission Trip.

1997
James L. Bowman Building on the Loudoun Street Mall is dedicated and houses Development Office and Continuing Education.

The John O. Marsh Institute for Government and Public Policy is founded.

Shenandoah announces new Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance and Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Education programs.

1998
The Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre is dedicated as the hub for vocal music programs and the theatre program, which was launched under the director of Herald “Hal” Herman in 1973.

The School of Pharmacy at the site of the Winchester Medical Center is re-named the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy in honor of Dr. Dunn’s father: Dr. and Mrs. Bernard J. Dunn gave Shenandoah its largest single gift in its history, $10 million.

Enrollment surpasses 2,000 students for the first time ever.

1999
Shenandoah University purchases the former Baymont Inn motel for use as the University Inn residence hall.

Shenandoah’s Northern Virginia Campus, which began with business classes in the 1990 and expanded into other graduate-level areas, moves into the old hospital building in Leesburg.

2000
Ground is broken for a football field and field house to house a vastly expanded athletic program.

Shenandoah University dedicates its new Television Center south of campus and unveils Winchester Community Radio.

Shenandoah adds football to its roster of intercollegiate teams. The Hornets finished their opening football season 4-6, ranking them number one among the four new NCAA Division III football programs.

The university breaks ground in Loudoun County for its new Northern Virginia Campus, underscoring the university’s commitment to the region.

The university begins to clear the land for its football stadium and dedicates its Aikens Athletic Center.

Shenandoah announces a new graduate course, the Doctorate of Education in Administrative Leadership.

2001
Shenandoah begins recruiting for two new doctoral programs in the School of Health Professions: Athletic Training and Physician Assistant.

Shenandoah announces a $750,000 naming-rights agreement with Edinburgh, Va.-based Shenandoah Telecommunications Company, assuring the facility is named Shentel Stadium for ten years. The Hornets win their first home football game on Sept. 15.

Shenandoah University receives a $1.106 million Congressional grant to educate teachers to utilized technology in the classroom.

Shenandoah debuts two new graduate programs in health professions: Athletic Training and Physician Assistant Studies.

Northern Virginia Campus dedicates its new facility on Route 7 east of Leesburg. The campus delivers programs for adults in business, nursing, teacher education and technology.

Continuing Education established the College for Lifelong Learning, a cultural enrichment center where adults can take courses and keep learning and growing throughout their lives.

Dr. Tracy Fitzsimmons is named the new dean of the College of Arts & Sciences.

Shenandoah launches the Willa Cather Institute to support the development of academic programs for students, public lectures and discussions devoted to Cather’s work and lifelong interests for teachers of literature and allied fields.

Emergency telephones are installed across main campus, completing the President’ Seven-Point Safety Plan, which was drafted in 2000.

2002
“The Peacemakers,” a sculpture located at the main entrance to campus, is re-dedicated in late March. Two new plaques — one in English and one in Russian — are unveiled.

The U.S. Department of Education releases two grants totaling $400,000 to the university.

Continuing Education becomes the School of Continuing Education.

Shenandoah welcomes first class in new Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Shenandoah acquires the Fairfax-Cameron Building on Cameron Street in downtown Winchester, a press box is added to the Shentel Stadium facility.

The Wilkins Administration Building gets a new brick façade.

The five original residence halls - Racey, Cooley, Parker, Gore and Funkhouser - are retrofitted with sprinkler systems.

2003
School of Arts & Sciences is renamed the College of Arts & Sciences.

Students, faculty and staff build the first Youth United Habitat for Humanity House on campus. Construction is completed weeks ahead of schedule despite an unusually cold and snowy winter. The house is dedicated on April 11 and moved to its permanent foundation in Winchester.

The History and Tourism Center at Shenandoah University (The Knowledge Point) celebrates its opening in April at its Fairfax-Cameron Building in downtown Winchester.

The Division of Nursing offers the Psychiatric Mental Health certificate.

Shenandoah receives a $150,000 grant from the trustees of the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation to establish a Mathematics Learning Center at the university for pre- and in-service high school teachers.

Shenandoah University receives an anonymous $400,000 gift for music scholarships.

Shenandoah University receives a $250,000 grant from the executors of the estate of Paul Mellon to extend arts education to elementary and secondary level students in Fauquier and Loudoun Counties.

The College of Arts & Sciences offers a Women’s/Gender Studies Program in the fall semester.

SU adopts a newly revised General Education plan required by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre (SSMT) celebrates 20 years of musical theatre.

University buys the Millwood Avenue Fire & Rescue Squad building. When the rescue company moves to its new facility, Shenandoah will construct a new building for the Harry F. Byrd Jr. School of Business.

2004
Both Physician Assistant Studies and the Doctor of Administrative Leadership programs graduated their first classes.

James Wilkins Jr. and friends establish the Harold Herman Chair in Music Theatre to honor retiring Distinguished Professor of Theatre Harold Herman.

The Faculty Development Committee launches “Creative Scholarship Day,” giving faculty and students an opportunity to share their research, talent and scholarly work.

Both the Physician Assistant Studies program and the Doctor of Education in Administrative Leadership program graduate their first classes.

Shenandoah’s enrollment hits 3,000 for the first time.

Shenandoah announces its unique Global Citizenship Project (GCP), which sends 60 members of the campus community to destinations around the world over spring break - all expenses paid by the university. Individuals write essays stating why they would like to travel abroad, a committee selects the best, and then announce travel destinations.

2005
Construction renovations began on the Wilkins Administration Building to install a new heating and air condition system and to upgrade administrative office space.

Over spring break, the first Global Citizenship Project participants head to Taiwan, Mali, India, Costa Rica and the Netherlands.

Construction renovations begin on the Wilkins Administration Building to install new heating and air condition systems and upgrade administrative office space.

Shenandoah University and The George Washington University collaborate to launch unique program in pharmacogenomics, the study of how genetics affect a body’s response to prescription medications.

Shenandoah breaks ground for the History and Tourism Center, a history, tourism and scholarly research facility located near Abrams Delight Museum on South Pleasant Valley Avenue.

Broadlands Regional Medical Center of Loudoun County gives Shenandoah $100,000 to benefit the university’s nursing program and underwrite the salary of a full-time nursing professor at the university’s Northern Virginia Campus in Leesburg.

Rev. Ray W. Chamberlain becomes SU’s first bishop-in-residence and SU trustee William Brandt became the first executive-in-residence in the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business. The two gentlemen joined the ranks of two other scholars-in-residence, Robert Shafer, artist-in-residence, and Ambassador Jaime de Ojeda, ambassador-in-residence.

Shenandoah graduates its first doctoral class in Physical Therapy.

In the fall, Shenandoah University approves its new mission statement, which includes six core values that provide a foundation for the decisions it makes and the programs it offers.

2006
The Institute for Church Professions is formed to cultivate and nurture new leaders for the church, and the Institute for Entrepreneurship is formed to encourage young entrepreneurs.

The university breaks ground for a 273-space parking garage (which opened in August), a new business school facility, an end-zone building at Shentel Stadium, a new student center, an expanded Television Center and a pedestrian bridge over Abrams Creek on main campus.

The Edwards Residential Village - formerly the Quality Inn - is dedicated. The new 158-bed residence hall is named in honor of H. Robert Edwards and his wife Betty for their many years of service and support of Shenandoah University.

The Kathryn Perry Werner End-Zone Building is dedicated at Shentel Stadium.

Shenandoah’s athletic department adds men’s and women’s track and field.

The Romine Living Center - formerly the Holiday Inn Executive Center -is dedicated. The new 48-bed residence hall is named in honor of former trustee George L. Romine.

The university now owns almost 125 acres - considerably more than the 45 acres when Dr. Davis arrived in 1982.

2007
The Vickers Communication Center - an expanded television center on Millwood Avenue - is dedicated. The facility is home to both WCT (Shenandoah’s cable television station) and TV3 Winchester (an ABC affiliate).

Shenandoah University earns initial AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) International accreditation for its business program.

The Dayton Bridge, funded in large part by alumni from Shenandoah’s Dayton, Va., era, is dedicated on main campus. The bridge spans Abrams Creek between Smith Library and Ruebush Hall.

School of Continuing Education becomes School of Education and Human Development.

President Davis announces he will retire June 30, 2008, after 26 years at Shenandoah University, and the board of trustees announces its selection for his successor. Dr. Tracy Fitzsimmons, Shenandoah’s current senior vice president & vice president for academic affairs, becomes the university’s 16th president and first female president on July 1, 2008.

2008
Halpin-Harrison Hall, the new home of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business opens on Jan. 14 at the start of the spring semester. An official opening event is held on March 28.

The Shenandoah University History & Tourism Center opens on Jan. 14 at the start of the spring semester. On May 6, the building is officially named Davis Hall, in honor of President James A. Davis.

Dr. Davis forms the President’s Sustainability Council, which will oversee campus issues related to climate change and address ways the university can reduce its carbon footprint.

Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre celebrates 25 years of musical theatre.

Dr. Fitzsimmons becomes Shenandoah University’s 16th president on July 1. Her official inauguration is set for Sept. 25 and 26, 2008.

The Shenandoah Hornets now field 16 intercollegiate sports teams: baseball, softball, football, field hockey, golf, volleyball, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s tack & field, men’s and women’s soccer, and men’s and women’s lacrosse.

The university has more than 3,300 enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs.

Shenandoah now offers 41 undergraduate degree programs, 24 master’s programs, nine doctoral level programs and 16 post-graduate programs.

Hundreds of university employees and volunteers are making preparations for your campus visit this September. The inauguration of President Tracy Fitzsimmons is an opportunity for you to meet her as well as to experience all the Shenandoah University and Winchester communities have to offer.

All of the inauguration events are free, most are open to the public, and most require tickets simply because space is limited. Formal inauguration invitations were mailed to delegates and dignitaries in late July. Individuals who received formal invitations with R.S.V.P. cards may select the events they wish to attend, though tickets are limited to two per invited guest. Remaining tickets will be distributed to the public after invited guests have returned R.S.V.P. cards.

See the “Inauguration Events” link for a complete schedule. Please check back often for updated information.

If you received an inauguration invitation in the mail:

The Inauguration Steering Committee is currently accepting requests for tickets to specific inauguration events. Tickets will be distributed first to invited guests. Please complete the reply card that came with your invitation, and return it in the envelope provided as soon as possible. Inauguration tickets will be mailed to you. Because the events have been greeted enthusiastically, each invited guest is limited to just one additional ticket (2 tickets total) for the Maya Angelou and Jay Allison/“This I Believe” events.

If you did not receive an invitation, but want to attend an event:

Tickets to inauguration events will be distributed to invited inauguration guests first.
The Inauguration Steering Committee will begin distributing tickets to others in the community after Aug. 30, 2008, on a first-come, first-served basis. To reserve ticket(s) for specific inauguration events, send an e-mail message to Ms. Kim Keckley at kkeckley@su.edu. You may also call 540.665.4900. You are limited to requesting tickets for you and one guest. By e-mail or phone, please include your name and telephone number.

Map of campus

Area hotels

Map of Winchester, Va.

Board of Trustees

Tracy Fitzsimmons, president

Bryon Grisby, senior vice president & vice president for academic affairs
Dean of Arts & Sciences
Director of Education & Human Development
Dean of Business School
Dean of Conservatory
Dean of Pharmacy
Dean of Global Education & Special Initiatives
Director of the Division of Nursing
Director of Division of Occupational Therapy
Director of Division of Physician Assistant Studies
Director of Program in Respiratory Care
Director of Division of Athletic Training
Director of Division of Physical Therapy
Director of the Libraries
Director of Institutional Research

Mitchell L. Moore, vice president for advancement
Director of Public Relations
Director of Alumni Affairs
Athletic Director

Clarresa M. Morton, vice president for student affairs
Director of Residence Life
Director of Student Activities
Director of Wilkins Wellness Center
Director of Academic Success Center
Dean of Spiritual Life

Richard C. Shickle Sr., vice president for administration and finance
Comptroller
Dean of Admissions
Director of Auxiliary Services
Director of Institutional Computing
Director of Financial Aid
Director of Physical Plant
Director of Human Resources
Director of Student Loan Collections
Director of Student Accounts

Over the course of a few days in late September 2008, Shenandoah University will celebrate its history, its community and the inauguration of its 16th president, Tracy Fitzsimmons, Ph.D. Shenandoah University has been a proud resident of the Shenandoah Valley since 1875, and it has been an active partner with the Winchester community since 1960. The inauguration of Dr. Fitzsimmons is a wonderful time for everyone to gather in appreciation of an institution of higher education and the place it calls home.

Americans are familiar with the presidential inauguration, which takes place at noon on Jan. 20 once every four years, when the oath of office is administered on the steps of the United States Capitol. The inauguration of a U.S. president is also surrounded by 10 days of celebratory events. Is a university’s presidential inauguration like that?

At an institution of higher education, inauguration refers to the series of events planned in celebration of the installation of a new president. The installation is the actual moment the new president assumes the articles of office. The ceremony itself is an investiture.

This means that even though Dr. Fitzsimmons became president of Shenandoah University at 12:01 a.m. on July 1, 2008, her inauguration is a series of events planned for Sept. 25 and 26, 2008. The investiture ceremony is on Friday, Sept. 26 at 11 a.m. During the event, Shenandoah’s former president James A. Davis will ceremoniously hand the Chain of Office to a university trustee, who will place the Chain of Office around President Fitzsimmons’ neck. That is the moment of installation.

But, for the extended Shenandoah University family - friends, trustees, alumni, students, faculty, staff and the Northern Virginia community - the inauguration festivities begin on Thursday, Sept. 25. The day includes presentations by special guests Dr. Maya Angelou and Mr. Jay Allison, performances by musicians, dancers and actors, and a black-tie-optional dessert gala to end the evening.

Following the inauguration on Friday, everyone is invited to enjoy a picnic on the quad in the center of main campus. The spirit of Shenandoah carries over into Saturday, Sept. 27, when the university community packages 30,000 meals in a Stop Hunger Now event.

Over the course of these days, guests may wonder about the significance and symbolism of some of the objects and images Shenandoah University uses.

University Seal
Every college has a seal that is used consistently to represents the institution on official documents such as diplomas. Shenandoah University round seal features three Greek Doric pillars above the date 1875, the year Shenandoah was founded. (The university also uses a rectangular logo, which is a variation of the presidential seal.) The historic function of a seal is primarily to authenticate documents; that of a logo is to create recognition. The seal denotes the official sanction of the university president and governing board.

The Mace
The mace is a sacred symbol of the presidential office. In 12th century Rome, the mace doubled as a club carried by a bodyguard, whose job was to protect the clergy. Shenandoah University’s mace, which is made of wood and bronze, functions as a symbol of authority. Shenandoah’s mace is the presidential seal in bronze imbedded in maple wood surrounded by bronze olive branches. During commencement ceremonies, one faculty member is given the honor of carrying the mace to lead the processional and recessional.

The Chain of Office
The chain of office is an ornate pendant that honors all the past presidents of an institution. Shenandoah University’s chain of office is bronze with a large medallion in the center that is the university seal. At the inauguration ceremony on Sept. 26, 2008, former President James A. Davis will symbolically hand the chain of office to a trustee, who will place the chain of office around President Fitzsimmons’ neck.

 Academic Regalia
The wearing of caps, gowns and hoods at college and university functions dates to the Middle Ages when they were worn by monks and students in order to keep warm in damp and drafty 12th century castles and halls of learning. Through the years, the style and color of caps, gowns and hoods have come to represent certain exact meanings. The following descriptions apply to current American usage. A number of variations are represented in the regalia worn by those who received degrees from non-American institutions.

Gowns for associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees have semi-stiff yokes, long pleated fronts and may have intricate shirring across the shoulders and backs. Gowns for the doctor’s degree have long velvet panels down the front and three velvet bars on the bell-shaped sleeve. This velvet trimming may be either black or the color distinctive of the field of learning to which the degree pertains.

Caps may be of serge, broadcloth, cotton, rayon, silk or - for the doctoral regalia only - of velvet. The tassel of the doctoral cap may be of gold thread. Caps are normally mortarboard in form although square-topped caps are traditional for certain universities.

The hood carries the heaviest symbolic burden. The hood indicates the level of the degree, the discipline and the institution which awarded it. The level of the degree is shown by the size of the hood, the width of the velvet trimming and - in the case of doctoral degree - by the shape. Master’s hoods are three and one-half feet long; doctoral hoods are four-feet long.
The color of the trim identifies the discipline of the degree. For example, doctorates in Arts, Letters and Humanities are white. Education is light blue. Fine Arts is brown. Music is pink. Nursing is apricot. Philosophy is dark blue. Theology is scarlet.

The institution which granted the degree is shown by the hood’s lining. Because there are so many universities and a limited number of colors, many schools use multiple colors on the lining of the hood, often with the contrasting color in the shape of a chevron.

Processional and Recessional
The processional-first used at the Olympic Games in ancient Greece-is the grand march into a formal ceremony. It usually begins at the back of the seating area and ends near the front of the stage or dais. The academic processional at an inauguration differs from commencement in that delegates from other colleges and representatives of academic societies are invited to march along with an institution’s own faculty and staff. Marshals usually will lead each division of the university and seat representatives in their appropriate order. Academic institutions and societies process in the order of the year their institutions were founded. The recessional is much the same, but follows the reverse order as the new president walks alone, following the mace bearer.

1967
Tracy Fitzsimmons is born in Norwalk, Ohio. The family moves from Ohio to Missouri to California to Washington and, in 1985, Fitzsimmons graduates from Bellevue High School in Bellevue, Wash.

1989
Fitzsimmons earns her Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics at Princeton University, graduating magna cum laude with a certificate of specialization in Latin American Studies. Her thesis is “The Politics of Archaeology.”

1989 to 1991
Fitzsimmons attends Universidad Catolica de Chile, studying political science.

1991
Fitzsimmons earns her Master of Arts degree in Latin American Studies from Stanford University. Her thesis subject is “Constructing State Nationalism.”

1995
Fitzsimmons earns her Doctor of Political Science degree from Stanford University. Her dissertation subject is “Paradoxes of Participation: Organizations and Democratization in Latin America.”

Dr. Fitzsimmons becomes assistant professor of government at the University of Redlands in Redlands, Calif.

1999
Dr. Fitzsimmons becomes chair of the College of Arts & Sciences and president of the Academic Assembly at the University of Redlands.

She becomes tenured associate professor of government at the University of Redlands.

2000
Dr. Fitzsimmons teaches in Salzburg, Austria, for the spring term.

2001
Fitzsimmons marries Charles Call, Ph.D., on Cinco de Mayo (May 5). Dr. Call also has studied and traveled extensively throughout Latin America.

Dr. Fitzsimmons becomes dean of the School of Arts & Sciences at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va. Shenandoah has more than 2,000 students (undergraduate and graduate) in five schools: School of Arts & Sciences, Harry F. Byrd Jr. School of Business, School of Health Professions, Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy and Shenandoah Conservatory.

Shenandoah admits students for two new master’s programs in the School of Health Professions: Athletic Training and Physician Assistant Studies.

Dr. Fitzsimmons organizes Town Hall Meetings on campus as a forum where members of the Shenandoah and Winchester communities could discuss the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The Hornets open their second football season in the university’s new Shentel Stadium. The $750,000 naming-rights agreement with Edinburgh, Va.-based Shenandoah Telecommunications Company is the first of its kind in NCAA Division III. The Hornets win their first game in Shentel, 37-6.

The university dedicates its new Northern Virginia Campus facility on Route 7 east of Leesburg, Va. The campus delivers programs in business, nursing, teacher education and technology.

Continuing Education establishes the College for Lifelong Learning.

Shenandoah launches the Willa Cather Institute to support the development of academic programs for students, public lectures and discussions devoted to Cather’s work.

2002
Shenandoah welcomes first class in its new Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Dr. Fitzsimmons oversees the creation and construction of the university’s International Cross-cultural Center (ICC), a place where all students and faculty can meet and exchange ideas. The ICC is dedicated during the university’s annual International Day program.

Fitzsimmons initiates the Citizen Scholar Program at Shenandoah to develop responsible leaders through a challenging and engaging living-and-learning experience for the most promising students in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Shenandoah acquires the Fairfax-Cameron Building (renamed the Bowman Building in 2008) on Cameron Street in downtown Winchester, and the Charles A. Ricketts Press Box is added to the Shentel Stadium facility.

Continuing Education becomes the School of Continuing Education.

Dr. James A. Davis celebrates his 20th anniversary as president of Shenandoah University.

Dr. Fitzsimmons becomes vice president for academic affairs on July 1; she is Shenandoah’s first female vice president. Shenandoah hires Dr. Calvin Allen to replace Fitzsimmons as the dean of the School of Arts & Sciences.

2003
School of Arts & Sciences becomes the College of Arts & Sciences.

Dr. Fitzsimmons serves on steering committee of Winchester’s first-ever One Book, One Community Project.

Shenandoah adds Women’s Studies Program as an undergraduate minor and graduate certificate; Dr. Fitzsimmons is among the first Women’s Studies Program faculty members.

The first Athletic Training master’s program class graduates.

The History and Tourism Center at Shenandoah University celebrates its opening in April at its downtown Winchester location.

Shenandoah establishes a Mathematics Learning Center for pre- and in-service high school teachers.

Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre celebrates 20 years of musical theatre.

The university buys the Millwood Avenue Fire & Rescue Squad building. When the rescue company moves to a new facility, Shenandoah will construct a new building for the Harry F. Byrd Jr. School of Business.

2004
Dr. Fitzsimmons gives birth to her daughter Shayla Fitzsimmons-Call on Feb. 29.

Both the Physician Assistant Studies program and the Doctor of Education in Administrative Leadership program graduate their first classes.

Shenandoah’s enrollment hits 3,000 for the first time.

Dr. Fitzsimmons spearheads Shenandoah’s unique Global Citizenship Project (GCP), which sends more than 60 members of the campus community to destinations around the world over spring break - most expenses paid by the university. Individuals write essays stating why they would like to travel abroad, a committee selects the participants, and then it announces travel destinations.

2005
Over spring break, the first Global Citizenship Project participants head to Taiwan, Mali, India, Costa Rica and the Netherlands.

Construction renovations begin on the Wilkins Administration Building to install new heating and air condition systems and upgrade administrative office space.

Shenandoah University and The George Washington University collaborate on a unique program in pharmacogenomics, the study of how genetics affect a body’s response to prescription medications.

Shenandoah breaks ground for a new building for the History & Tourism Center on South Pleasant Valley.

Shenandoah graduates its first doctoral class in Physical Therapy.

Shenandoah University approves its new mission statement, which includes six core values that provide a foundation for the decisions it makes and the programs it offers.

Dr. Fitzsimmons is named senior vice president & vice president for academic affairs.

2006
Dr. Fitzsimmons gives birth to identical twin boys, David “Dash” and Thomas “Jag” Fitzsimmons-Call on Feb. 6.

The Institute for Church Professions is formed to cultivate and nurture new leaders for the church, and the Institute for Entrepreneurship is formed to encourage young entrepreneurs.

The university breaks ground for a 273-space parking garage (which opened in August 2006), a new business school facility, an end-zone building at Shentel Stadium, a new student center, an expanded television center and a pedestrian bridge over Abrams Creek on main campus.

The Edwards Residential Village - formerly the Quality Inn - is dedicated. The 158-bed residence hall is named in honor of H. Robert Edwards and his wife Betty for their many years of service and support of Shenandoah University.

The Kathryn Perry Werner End-Zone Building is dedicated at Shentel Stadium.

Shenandoah’s athletic department adds men’s and women’s track and field as a club sport.

The Romine Living Center - formerly the Holiday Inn Executive Center - is dedicated. The 48-bed residence hall is named in honor of former trustee George L. Romine.

The university now owns almost 125 acres.

2007
The Vickers Communications Center - an expanded television center on Millwood Avenue - is dedicated. The facility is home to both WCT (Shenandoah’s cable television station) and TV3 Winchester (an ABC affiliate).

Shenandoah University earns initial AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) International accreditation for its business program.

The Dayton Bridge, funded in large part by alumni from Shenandoah’s Dayton, Va., era, is dedicated on main campus. The bridge spans Abrams Creek between Smith Library and Ruebush Hall.

School of Continuing Education becomes School of Education and Human Development.

President James A. Davis announces he will retire June 30, 2008, after 26 years at Shenandoah University, and the board of trustees announces its selection for his successor: Dr. Tracy Fitzsimmons, Shenandoah’s senior vice president & vice president for academic affairs, will become the university’s 16th president and first female president on July 1, 2008.

2008
Halpin-Harrison Hall, the new home of the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business opens on Jan. 14 at the start of the spring semester. An official opening event is held on March 28.

The Shenandoah University History & Tourism Center opens on Jan. 14 at the start of the spring semester. On May 6, the building is officially named Davis Hall, in honor of President James A. Davis.

Mitchell “Mitch” Moore is hired as the new vice president for advancement (the position formerly known as vice president for development).

Bryon Grigsby is named Shenandoah’s new senior vice president & vice president for academic affairs, replacing Dr. Tracy Fitzsimmons who becomes the university’s president on July 1. Dr. Grisby begins his appointment on July 1.

Shenandoah Summer Music Theatre celebrates 25 years of musical theatre.

Dr. Fitzsimmons becomes Shenandoah University’s 16th president on July 1. Her official inauguration is set for Sept. 25 and 26, 2008.

Education

• Ph.D. in Political Science, Stanford University, 1995
  Dissertation: “Paradoxes of Participation: Organizations and Democratization in Latin America” Emphasis on Chile
• M.A. in Latin American Studies, Stanford University, 1991
  Thesis: “Constructing State Nationalism”
• Universidad Católica de Chile, completed all classes for M.A. program in Political Science, 1989-91
• B.A. in Politics, Princeton University, 1989
  Magna cum laude; Certificate of specialization in Latin American Studies Thesis: “The Politics of Archaeology”

Higher Education Employment

• President, Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA

Inauguration scheduled for Sept. 26, 2008; official transition begins July 1, 2008

• Senior Vice President & Vice President for Academic Affairs; and Professor of Political Science, Shenandoah University (October 2006-June 2008)
• Vice President for Academic Affairs; and Professor of Political Science, Shenandoah University (July 2002-June 2008)
• Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences; and Professor of Political Science, Shenandoah University, (July 2001-July 2002).
• Associate Professor of Government, tenured, University of Redlands, Redlands, Calif. (1999-2001)
• Chair of the College of Arts & Sciences Faculty and President of the Academic Assembly, University of Redlands (1999-2001)
• Assistant Professor of Government, University of Redlands (1995-1999)

Regional expertise: Latin America.

Substantive fields: democratization, gender, ethnicity, development.

Courses taught: World Politics, Latin American Politics, Political Economy of Development, Global Democratization, Comparative Politics, Latin American Dance, Women and Politics in Latin America, International Perspectives on Women and Justice, Ethnicity and Ethnic Conflict, travel courses to Haiti and the Dominican Republic

Awards and Honors

• 2007 Women of the Year, Winchester/Frederick County Professional & Business Women Association
• 2006 Wilkins Award for outstanding service to Shenandoah University
• Millbrook High School, VA graduation speaker, June 2005
• Apple Blossom Festival Women’s Luncheon keynote speaker, Winchester, Va., April 2005
• Resolution of Appreciation, International Day, Shenandoah University Board of Trustees, 2004
• Mortarboard Professor of the Year, University of Redlands, 1997-98
• Outstanding Professor of the Year, San Bernardino Chamber of Commerce, 1998
• Rotary International Graduate Scholar, for study in Chile, 1989-90
• Harry S. Truman Scholar, 1987-91

Publications

• “Engendering Justice and Security after War,” in Charles T. Call, ed., Constructing Justice and Security after War, U.S. Institute of Peace, 2007
• “The Post-Conflict Postscript: Gender and Policing in Peace Operations,” in Dyan Mazurana, Angela Raven-Roberts, and Jane Parpart, eds., Gender, Conflict and Peacekeeping, Boulder, Colo: Rowman Littlefield, 2005
• Beyond the Barricades: Women, Civil Society and Participation after Democratization in Latin America. New York: Garland Press, 2000.
• “A Lack of Female Officers Causes Police Brutality,” Police Brutality: Opposing Viewpoints, San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2000
• “A Monstrous Regiment of Women: Women’s Political Organizing in Latin America,” Latin American Research Review, volume 35, no. 2, spring 2000
• “Civil Society in a Post-War Period: Lessons from Labor in El Salvador’s Democratic Transition,” co-author with Mark S. Anner, Latin American Research Review, volume 34, no. 3, fall 1999
• “A New Identity for the Police?” Peace Review, volume 10, no. 2, June 1998
• Works in progress: book (The Price of Peace: Women in the Aftermath of War); articles on “Transformative Pedagogies in Latin American Studies” and “The Effect of Democratization on Higher Education”

Academic Conferences and Papers

• “An Intentional QEP Topic Selection Process,” led roundtable at SACS annual conference, New Orleans, La., December 2007
• “Reflections on Gendering Police Forces,” Woodrow Wilson Policy Forum, Washington, D.C., July 2007
• “The Impact of Globalization on Higher Education,” paper given at Torch Club, February 2005 (currently revising for submission to an academic journal)
• “Women’s Police Stations in Latin America and South Asia,” paper given at LASA International Conference, Dallas, Texas, March 2003
• “Gendering Peacetime,” paper given at United States Institute for Peace, Washington, D.C., May 14, 2002
• “Violence Against Women in the Americas,” roundtable presentation and discussion at the Latin American Studies Association Conference in Washington, D.C., Sept. 6-8, 2002
• “An Examination of Asian and American Higher Education Values,” Freeman Symposium, Salzburg Seminar, Austria, June 15-20, 2002
• “Women, Violence and Security in Central America, Haiti and Bosnia,” presented at the Latin American Studies Association Conference in Miami, Fla., March 16-18, 2000
• “Who Cares About Bi-nationality and the Twin Cities?” roundtable discussion at the Bi-national Workshop: U.S.-Mexico Border Twin Cities, Nov. 10-12, 1999
• “Does It Take Two to Tango? Team-Teaching and Feminist Pedagogy Meet Student Resistance and Apathy,” paper co-presented with Patricia Wasielewski at the National Women’s Studies Association conference in Albuquerque, N.M., June 18-20, 1999
• “Women and Policing: the Cases of Haiti and El Salvador,” paper presented at the Latin American Studies Association conference in Chicago, Sept. 24-26, 1998
• “The Role of Students in Designing Courses and Creating Syllabi,” paper presented at the Latin American Studies Association conference in Chicago, Sept. 24-26, 1998
• “Representativity and Civilianizing Security,” paper presented at the Western Political Science Association conference in Los Angeles, March 19-21, 1998
• “Lessons from Labor in El Salvador’s Post-Democratization Process,” paper presented at the Latin American Studies Association conference in Guadalajara, Mexico, April 17-19, 1997; also chaired panel on “Transitions to Democracy and Labor”
• Chair of the Comparative Politics Section of the Western Political Science Conference, Tucson, March 13-15, 1997
• “Engendering New Security Forces: the New Civilian Police in Haiti,” paper presented at the Western Political Science Association conference in Tucson, March 1997; also chaired panel on “Ethnic Conflict and Democratization”
• “Chilean Women’s Organizing,” paper presented at the Western Social Science Association conference in Reno, April 1996
• “Civil Society and Re-Democratization,” panel discussant at the Latin American Studies Association conference in Washington, D.C., September 1995
• “Points for Consideration: Theorizing about Participation and Democratization,” Programa de Economía del Trabajo, Santiago, Chile, August 1994
• “Democratization as an Independent Variable,” MacArthur Symposium, Madison, Wisconsin, April 1994.
• “Long-Term Obstacles to the Attainment of Peace in El Salvador,” Stanford Center on Conflict and Negotiation, April 1993
• “The Effect of Democratization on Women’s Organizations,” Center for Latin American Studies, Stanford University, January 1993
• “Democratic Procedures and the Salvadoran Peace Talks,” Center for International Security and Arms Control, Series on Peace Studies, February 1992

Higher Education Conferences

• Council of Independent Colleges, “Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission”, one of 20 selected participants nationally, Aug. 6-9, 2006, and Feb. 24-26, 2007
• Fellow, “Globalizing Higher Education,” Salzburg Seminar session, July 17-25, 2004
• “Cultivating Faculty Leadership,” presenter and workshop facilitator, joint AAUP & ACAD conference, Oct. 26-28, 2000
• Fellow and Presidential Scholarship recipient, “Alternative Systems in Higher Education,” at the Salzburg Seminar in Salzburg, Austria, July 1-8, 2000
• “Partners in Academic Leadership: Faculty, Chair, and Dean Collaboration,” co-sponsored by AAC&U and ACAD, Toronto, Canada, Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 1999
• Fellow, Universities’ Project Symposium on “Globalization and Higher Education,” at the Salzburg Seminar in Salzburg, Austria, April 10-13. 1999
• Yearly attendance at annual conferences of AAC&U, ACAD and SACS

Professional and Community Experience

• Board of Directors, Blue Ridge District BB&T Bank, (2006-present)
• Board of Directors, Shenandoah Telecommunications (SHENTEL), a NASDAQ-traded company; Chairperson of the Personnel and Compensation Committee (2005-present)
• Board of Directors, Winchester Shelter for Abused Women; Capital Campaign Committee (2005-present)
• Board of Directors, Powhatan School, (2007-present)
• Board of Directors, Grafton School (2006-present)
• Universities Project, consultant on higher education reform to the University of Lasi, Romania, 2004
• Board of Directors, Global Justice (Washington, D.C.), (2004-06)
• SACS accreditation off-site and on-site reviewer, (2004-present).
• Co-founder and producer, Old Schoolhouse Theatre and Reliance Theatre Project, plays and poetry readings for the public, (2003-present)
• Winchester One Book, One Community, steering committee (2003-06)
• Member of Reliance Methodist Church, (2002-present)
• Princeton Alumni Schools Committee, (1998-2004)
• Princeton Annual Giving Class Committee, (2000-01)
• Board of Directors, Town and Gown (Redlands, Calif.), 1996-2001; vice-president for University-Community Relations, 1999-2000; member of scholarship and fundraising committees
• Expert witness (testimony, research and affidavits, political asylum cases for Central Americans and human rights cases for Haitian women) 1991-92, 1996, 1998, 2001
• Board Member, Inland Empire Microlending Group, 1996
• Director, Ellacuria Committee for Central American Refugees (CERCA), San Jose, Calif., (1991-1994)

Research and Field Experience

• Primary field research in Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Croatia and Bosnia; travel throughout Latin America and Europe; limited travel in South Korea, Japan, Mali and Ghana
• Fluent in Spanish
• Proficient in French
• Conversational in Haitian Creole

Shenandoah University welcomes members of the media at all times, but everyone is expected to follow campus parking rules and other regulations. Journalists and photographers are encouraged to contact the Office of Public Relations before conducting interviews or filming footage. Contact Director of Public Relations Cathy Loranger at 540.665.4510 or clorange@su.edu for general information about Shenandoah.

Editors, reporters and others who need more information about inauguration events or who would like to arrange a campus visit for the inauguration should contact Assistant Director of Public Relations Cathy Kuehner at 540.678.4327 or ckuehner@su.edu Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (EST).

To read more news from Shenandoah University, find the campus newspaper The SUN or the university magazine SU Today.

“I am honored and, frankly, I am thrilled to be the next president of Shenandoah University,” Dr. Tracy Fitzsimmons said on the day the board of trustees announced she would succeed President James A. Davis. In fact, Dr. Davis and, now, Dr. Fitzsimmons stand on the shoulders of all the visionaries, leaders and educators who came before - although it is unlikely A. Paul Funkhouser and Jay Newton Fries could have imagined in 1875 their school would become the university it is today, with undergraduate and graduate students from across America and around the world.

Shenandoah Seminary was founded in 1875 in Dayton, Va., by Dr. Abraham Paul Funkhouser and Professor Jay Newton Fries. Shenandoah began an affiliation with the United Brethren of Christ Church, which later became the Evangelical United Brethren Church and finally the United Methodist Church - Shenandoah University’s present-day affiliation.

In 1925, the institution’s name was changed to Shenandoah College, and in 1937 Shenandoah Conservatory of Music became a separate corporation; the institution operated as two entities under one administration through the 1940s. By the 1950s, Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music began to fall on hard times. Administrators became acquainted with a group of businessmen in Winchester, Va., who believed an institution of higher education would be beneficial to their growing community. Shenandoah opened its doors in Winchester in the fall of 1960.

The institution thrived in its new location, becoming Shenandoah University in 1991. Today, there are more than 3,300 students in undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs in six schools: College of Arts & Sciences, Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, Shenandoah Conservatory, School of Education & Human Development, School of Health Professions and Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy.

A Brief Biographical Sketch

Tracy Fitzsimmons, Ph.D., became Shenandoah University’s 16th president and the first female president of the 133-year-old institution on July 1, 2008. Until June 30, Dr. Fitzsimmons served as senior vice president & vice president for academic affairs and professor of political science at Shenandoah University. Previously, she was dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at Shenandoah. Prior to accepting the position of dean in 2001, she was a faculty leader at the University of Redlands in Redlands, Calif.

In May 2007, Shenandoah University’s Board of Trustees unanimously elected Dr. Fitzsimmons to be the institution’s president. She succeeds Dr. James A. Davis, who served as president of Shenandoah for an amazing 26 years.

With regional expertise in Latin America, Fitzsimmons has taught courses on world politics, Latin American politics, global democratization, women and politics in Latin America and has conducted travel courses to both Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Her published research has taken her to Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Croatia and Bosnia. Her undergraduate degree is from Princeton University magna cum laude, and her master’s and doctoral degrees are from Stanford University.

Fitzsimmons currently serves on the boards of Shentel (Shenandoah Telecommunications), Blue Ridge District BB&T Bank, Powhatan School, Grafton School and the Winchester/Frederick County Shelter for Abused Women.

She and her husband Charles Call live in Reliance, Va., with their daughter Shayla and twin sons, Dash and Jag. Dr. Chuck Call is an assistant professor in the program on Peace & Conflict Resolution at American University in Washington, D.C. He works on post-conflict peace-building, democratization, human rights and policing and justice reform. He has conducted field research in all of Central America, Colombia, Haiti, Afghanistan, West Africa, Bosnia, Kosovo and South Africa. He spent most of 2004 at the UN Department of Political Affairs as its peace-building consultant. He has worked as a consultant for Human Rights Watch, the European Commission, USAID, UNDP, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Washington Office on Latin America, and he has received grants from the U.S. Institute of Peace, the MacArthur Foundation and the National Science Foundation. He received his Ph.D. in political science from Stanford University and his B.A. cum laude from Princeton University.

The Fitzsimmons-Call home in Reliance is a converted schoolhouse, and the couple frequently hosts theatrical productions, concerts and poetry readings. Fitzsimmons and her family are members of Reliance United Methodist Church.

On July 1, 2008, Dr. Tracy Fitzsimmons became the institution’s 16th president, its first-ever female president and the youngest sitting president of a Virginia university. More than that, President Fitzsimmons is the embodiment of imaginative thinking and inspiring leadership. The needs of current and future students guide her, and an outstanding group of faculty and staff work collaboratively to support the university’s mission. “What inspires me,” Dr. Fitzsimmons said, “is the process of discovery and seeing the light bulb go on in a student’s eyes.”

Dr. Fitzsimmons came to Shenandoah University in 2001 to serve as arts & sciences dean and she quickly proved herself to be a compassionate teacher and bold leader. She became vice president for academic affairs in 2002; senior vice president & vice president for academic affairs in 2005; she was elected to be Shenandoah’s 16th president in 2007; and she moved into the president’s office in July 2008.

The name of the university, the Shenandoah Valley where it is situated and the Shenandoah River that flows through the valley, comes from the Indian legend of Zynodoa, an Indian brave known for his strength, courage and his appreciation of beauty. It could be argued the 133-year-old institution also has strength, courage and appreciation of beauty. Shenandoah University endured difficult times only to emerge as a leader in many academic areas including health care, business, pharmacy and the humanities. Its commitment to nurturing creativity and the human spirit through the performing arts is known around the world.

Under President James A. Davis’ leadership over the past 26 years, Shenandoah developed into a comprehensive university and a doctoral-level institution. Shenandoah University has received approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools as a Level VI accredited institution, which recognizes that the university offers four or more doctoral degree programs. With its broad vision and highly qualified faculty, the university maintains a cutting-edge curriculum that reflects the constantly changing demands of the market and prepares students for the technological and global environment of the 21st century.

Today, Shenandoah University offers almost 90 programs of study at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels in the College of Arts & Sciences, the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. School of Business, Shenandoah Conservatory, the School of Education & Human Development, the School of Health Professions (athletic training, nursing and respiratory care, occupational therapy, physical therapy and physician assistant studies) and the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy. Shenandoah University is one of two private doctoral degree-granting institutions in Virginia and the most growth oriented among its private peer institutions in the Commonwealth.

The university now has more than 3,300 students representing most of the United States and almost 40 countries. Shenandoah University is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, though its diverse student body represents all faiths, and ecumenical chapel services celebrate that diversity.

“Global changes will likely have a profound effect on higher education in the coming decades. I believe universities will need to be increasingly mindful of the benefits and challenges these changes will bring to our campuses – not only in terms of technology but also in the ways faculty research, curricular offerings, student expectations and fundraising will be altered,” Fitzsimmons said.

“I am firmly committed to collaborative processes of decision-making in which the appropriate individuals and groups are involved. I have great respect for both professional and liberal learning, and a particular interest in the juncture of the two.”

She continued, “I look forward to working with the administration and faculty to identify innovative ways of collaborating across the schools, to deepen our commitment to being a student-centered and learning-centered university, and to find new ways to serve the community. Shenandoah University has an outstanding faculty, a diverse curriculum and motivated, talented students. I look forward to serving the university community.”

“I’m honored and delighted to have been chosen to lead Shenandoah University,” said President Fitzsimmons. “I look forward to consolidating and building upon the tremendous work of Jim Davis. I also look forward to working closely with our outstanding faculty, staff, trustees and students to take Shenandoah University to new heights.”

Shenandoah University welcomes everyone who can imagine a world made better through higher education. It welcomes people who inspire others and individuals who seek inspiration. It encourages people to care for each other, their communities and the global society in which we live. Together, Shenandoah students, alumni, faculty, staff, trustees and friends engage in conversations and learning experiences to make the world a better place in the 21st century.

Shenandoah welcomes you - and you’ve arrived at a great time.

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