President Lawrence P. Ward is Inaugurated

University President Emeritus Walter Harrison said, "These last seven years have not been easy for anyone in higher education, but in the heart and soul of this university-among its students, staff, faculty, alumni, and all of us who love this place-lies the potential to make it great. Larry knows that, and he is carefully thinking about his strategic direction, starting with understanding the immediate challenges and translating them into opportunities for growth and fulfillment."

Those challenges and opportunities were a theme of Ward's wide-ranging inaugural address. "I recognize that the last few years have been challenging to our community and to our profession," he said. "Yet the University of Hartford remains a remarkably resilient institution. We will not be successful relitigating the tensions of the past. So I'm asking you to lean in and to lean forward, to foster a stronger sense of belonging. And frankly, this starts with me and my commitment to open communication, careful listening, transparency, trust and leading with authenticity. We must also demonstrate active leadership in the greater Hartford community. For a university that carries the city of Hartford's name, we must play a leading and contributing role in the economic and educational vitality of the Greater Hartford area, the state of Connecticut, and the northeast region."

Several members of Ward's family played prominent roles in the inauguration ceremony, including his children, Emerson and Aidan. Ward's brother, Rev. Fredd Ward, senior pastor of the First Church of West Hartford, gave the invocation. "You might be wondering: who's the older brother?" he said. "I am actually the older brother. But I say that only to say that I've looked up to president Ward most of my adult life-at no moment more than this one."

Aidan Ward said, "My entire life, my father has made sacrifice after sacrifice for our family. When it comes to something or someone that he is passionate about, there is nothing that he will not do to see them succeed. For as long as I have known him, his greatest passion was guiding young people where they needed to go. And I have no doubt that that is what he will continue to do here."

The inauguration ceremony also featured a musical performance by Hartt School mezzo Lynnae Labato '25. She sang the song "Home" from the musical The Wiz, a favorite of President Ward's. He closed his address by quoting the lyrics:

Maybe there's a chance
For me to go back
Now that I have some direction
It sure would be nice
To be back home
Where there's love and affection
And just maybe I
Can convince time to slow up
Giving me enough time
In my life to grow up
Time, be my friend, let me start again, back home.