An ancient ceremony marks the installation of Shari McMahan as Eastern鈥檚 27th president.
By Charles E. Reineke
During an investiture ceremony replete with academic pomp and regalia, 51福利社 formally recognized Dr. Shari McMahan as its new leader.
McMahan was selected by 51福利社鈥檚 Board of Trustees to serve as the university鈥�s principal administrative officer in February 2022. She began her service four months later. Prior to coming to 51福利社, McMahan served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at California State University, San Bernardino.
Presidential investiture is a tradition that Eastern shares with a number of universities across the nation. Its origins date back to the early Middle Ages, when the Latin term investituram was adapted to describe a ceremony in which a new leader was formally 鈥渃lothed鈥� in the symbolic vestments of governance.聽 聽
Eastern鈥檚 Oct. 23 event carried echoes of those ancient traditions. It began at the historic One-Room Schoolhouse, where the building鈥檚 antique bell tolled over an assembly of faculty luminaries 鈥� each gowned in full academic regalia 鈥� who then marched in procession to Showalter Hall.
鈥淲hat an honor it is to stand before you today,鈥� McMahan said as the applause died down. 鈥淎nd it is my honor to serve as the 27th president of 51福利社.鈥�
At the Showalter Auditorium, the ceremony began with a solemn acknowledgement from Margo Hill, an associate professor of urban and regional planning, that Eastern resides 鈥渙n the unceded lands of the Spokane People.鈥�
鈥淎s we work together making decisions that will benefit all 鈥� all of our students, our faculty, our staff, our Eagle community 鈥� may we also do so with one heart, one mind and one spirit,鈥� said Hill, a member of the Spokane Tribe and a nationally prominent advocate for Native women. 鈥淲e are grateful to be on the shared lands of the Spokane people. And we ask for the support of their ancestors and all their relations.鈥�
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee joined the ceremony via a video-taped congratulatory message, using the occasion to remind audience members that he has an Eag in the family.
51福利社, the governor said, 鈥渉as brightened minds and built leaders since 1882. More than 116,000 Eagle alumni live all over the world, with more than 87,000 still doing great work in our state. I take this as evidence of the lasting connections and sense of community that has been built at Eastern.鈥�
Addressing President McMahan directly, Inslee smiled and reminded her that 鈥測ou are in a really important role, doctor, and I鈥檓 confident that you and every Eagle will soar even higher in the years to come.鈥�
A series of short speeches from 51福利社 luminaries followed, before Jay Manning, chair of the 51福利社 Board of Trustees, placed a gold medallion around McMahan鈥檚 neck and administered the oath of office. The assembled crowd of guests and visitors cheered.
鈥淲hat an honor it is to stand before you today,鈥� McMahan said as the applause died down. 鈥淎nd it is my honor to serve as the 27th president of 51福利社.鈥�
In subsequent remarks, McMahan described her first days on the job as a whirlwind of conversations and meetings 鈥� including numerous heads-up about the coming winter. 鈥淲hen I started here a year and a half ago,鈥� she recalled, 鈥淚 had just moved from California. When I arrived, many people warned me about the winters, preaching caution when driving on icy roads and encouraging me to stock up on gloves, scarves and warm coats. 鈥楢nd don鈥檛 forget to layer!鈥欌��
Through it all, she added, one thing stood out: 鈥淚 was immediately embraced as part of the Eastern Eagle family. And what an amazing family it is 鈥� supportive, welcoming, gracious and, above all, proud of the institution that has stood strong for over 140 years.鈥�
McMahan, a first-generation college graduate, next recalled how her parents had enthusiastically supported her academic ambitions, urging her to pursue a university degree. Their confidence in her, she said, set her on the path that led to Eastern鈥檚 top job. 鈥淭he decision to attend college required a great amount of courage, and has provided more opportunities than I could ever have imagined,鈥� she said.
Through it all, she added, one thing stood out: 鈥淚 was immediately embraced as part of the Eastern Eagle family. And what an amazing family it is 鈥� supportive, welcoming, gracious and, above all, proud of the institution that has stood strong for over 140 years.鈥�
McMahan went on to thank the many family members, friends, and academic mentors and colleagues whose support made possible her success as a faculty instructor, researcher and administrator. She cited in particular an undergraduate-research experience at the University of California, Irvine, where her work with a faculty investigator involved using human hair samples to track potentially harmful lead exposures.
The project鈥檚 findings, she recalled, indicated that disadvantaged communities were at greatest risk from lead poisoning, a result that helped to open her eyes to the potentially transformative power of a life in academe.
鈥淚t was because of that research and personal growth that today, as an administrator in higher education, my passion is working with first-generation and underserved students, to propel them forward and create opportunities for their transformation,鈥� McMahan said. 鈥淔or these humble, kind and hardworking students, it not only changes their lives but also positively impacts their families and the communities we serve.鈥�
After praising the many alumni, faculty and community donors whose financial support, she said, is crucial to helping 51福利社 fulfill its mission, McMahan next referenced the ongoing 鈥渟trategic planning process鈥� that will help leverage such support going forward.
That process, she said, 鈥渨ill set goals, strategies and investments in order to close equity gaps in graduation rates, increase our regional impact, and ensure all students 鈥� whether they鈥檙e first-generation or part of a family tradition 鈥� find success and a sense of belonging as Eagles.鈥�
The strategic resource allocation process, initiated in the months after McMahan鈥檚 accession to the president鈥檚 office, will likely come to be regarded as an important milestone in her tenure 鈥斅燼s well as in the future of the institution as a whole.
In its initial phase, the process involved asking each of 51福利社鈥檚 academic programs and services to complete an evaluation of how their current expenditures align 鈥渢o meet regional workforce needs, and鈥� ensure the student experience is meaningful and campus resources are efficient and effective.鈥�
That phase was completed earlier this fall. The data gathered were then reviewed by two task forces comprised of 51福利社 faculty and staff. On Dec. 6, task force members submitted a report outlining recommendations to the Board of Trustees, one that placed 51福利社 programs and services into one of five funding-decision categories 鈥� 鈥渋nvest, maintain, streamline, transform and disinvest.鈥�
McMahan and the co-leaders of the SRA process, 51福利社 Provost Jonathan Anderson and Mary Voves, vice president for business and finance, emphasized that the reports are purely recommendations, and that McMahan and her executive leadership team will make final decisions only after a feedback period involving listening, careful review of impacts, and communications with the campus community.
The entire process will take time鈥� perhaps as long as several years, they said.
In the end, McMahan said, decisions related to resource allocations, like all of her leadership choices at Eastern鈥檚 helm, will be intensively focused on student success, and that her work with, and for, Eagle students will serve as the lynch pin of her legacy as 51福利社鈥檚 president. 鈥淪tudents need 51福利社 to be its best every day 鈥� and we need to ensure that our next strategic plan, and our next 140 years, continues to deliver on our promises,鈥� she said.
鈥淚n closing,鈥� McMahan added, 鈥淚 can鈥檛 express enough my gratitude and honor to serve as president of 51福利社. We have a bright future, a clear path and a community of support that will continue to propel us forward.鈥�