Photo by Jessica Gratigny
The Mercer University Board of Trustees will host the formal investiture ceremony of Penny L. Elkins, Ph.D., as the institution’s 19th president on Oct. 29 on the University’s historic Macon campus. The ceremony — which will be broadcast live to a global audience — will serve as the culmination of a 19-day series of university-wide events and activities, known as “The Countdown to 19.”
Guided by the inaugural theme, One Mercer: United in Mission, Amplified for Impact, the “Countdown to 19” celebration will bring together students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the University to honor Mercer’s rich heritage, celebrate student achievement, amplify its mission and impact, and look ahead to a bright future under Elkins’ leadership.
“President Elkins is courageous, innovative and forward-looking,” said Board Chair Cathy Callaway Adams. “Having served Mercer University faithfully for more than 25 years, she understands firsthand the profound impact of a Mercer education, and her leadership path from a Mercer freshman to the first woman in the University’s history to serve as president is a historic, full-circle moment.”
The 19-plus-day celebration will feature events across Mercer’s statewide campuses and communities, launching Oct. 9–11 in coordination with the University’s annual Family Weekend. The weekend will welcome parents, siblings and relatives to the Macon Campus for an ice cream social with the president, tours, special campus events, concerts, athletic events and game-day tailgates. Subsequent inaugural events throughout October will showcase student success, research, community engagement and Mercer’s expanding reach and impact across the globe.
“To lead Mercer is a privilege and a sacred trust,” said Elkins. “This moment belongs to our entire community. It is a celebration of what we are building and achieving together, rather than a single office. As One Mercer, we stand united in our mission to teach, learn, create, discover, inspire, empower and serve — and make a lasting impact in Georgia and around the world.”
For more information about Elkins, the investiture, a listing of inauguration events, “Countdown to 19” activities and more, visit inauguration.mercer.edu.
About an Investiture Ceremony
An investiture is one of the oldest traditions in academia, officially held during a new president’s inaugural year to formally confer the institution’s authority, historic symbols and office. While the president assumes the duties of the role upon appointment, the formal investiture serves as a milestone event for the entire university system—uniting the campus community, governing boards and external delegates to celebrate institutional continuity, honor its mission, and welcome a new era of executive leadership.
About Mercer University
Founded in 1833, Mercer University is a dynamic and comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education. With nearly 9,000 students enrolled in 12 schools and colleges, on major campuses in Macon and Atlanta; three four-year medical school sites in Macon, Savannah and Columbus; two third and fourth year clinical campuses in Valdosta and Carrollton; and at regional academic centers in Henry and Douglas counties, Mercer is ranked among the top tier and best values of national research universities by U.S. News & World Report. The Mercer Health Sciences Center includes the University’s School of Medicine and Colleges of Nursing, Health Professions and Pharmacy. Mercer is affiliated with six teaching hospitals – Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center and Piedmont Macon Medical Center in Macon; Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah; Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital and St. Francis-Emory Healthcare in Columbus; SGMC Health in Valdosta; and Tanner Health in Carrollton. The University also has an educational partnership with Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins. It operates an academic press and a performing arts center in Macon and an engineering research center in Warner Robins. Mercer Medicine, the clinical faculty practice of the School of Medicine, is based in Macon and operates additional clinics in Sumter, Clay, Putnam, Harris, Taylor and Glynn counties. Mercer is one of only 293 institutions nationwide to shelter a chapter of The Phi Beta Kappa Society, the nation’s most prestigious academic honor society; one of four private institutions to hold membership in the Georgia Research Alliance; and the only private university in Georgia to field an NCAA Division I athletic program. Learn more at www.mercer.edu.
Author: Jennifer Fairfield-Williams
