Lawrence Schall,
President 
Biography
Inauguration
Articles
Our Past Presidents |
Welcome. Thanks to everyone for making Inauguration Weekend a great
celebration for Oglethorpe and Atlanta.
John Dewey wrote in 1915 that the measure of
the worth of any social institution is its effect in enlarging and
improving the human experience. These words ring true today, and the
theme for all of our ceremonies (April 20-22) was public service.
On Thursday, it was our great privilege to
hear Mayor Shirley Franklin and Ambassador Andrew Young speak of
their lives of public service at Woodruff Arts Center with a
reception following next door at the High Museum of Art, two of
Atlanta's great cultural centers.
Friday was our community's day of service
to Garden Hills Elementary School, part of the Atlanta Public
Schools (APS). Superintendent Beverly Hall is committed to having
APS be the first successful urban school system reformation in the
history of this country, and she is well on her way. We put on
our gloves and worked alongside our students, parents, alumni, friends
and other community members to complete a campus restoration of
Garden Hills. Afterwards we had a great dinner party in the Schmidt
Center.
And last, Saturday morning was the inauguration itself. Alfred Bloom, Swarthmore's
president, and Ellen Schall, Dean of NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate
School of Public Service (and my big sister), gave brief remarks about the public role of colleges and
universities, and then was my shot at my first big talk (not
long, just big). It was both fun and meaningful. Thanks to all who
shared it with me in person.
Lawrence M. Schall, J.D., Ed.D.
President
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